Program Summary 

Mission Acceleration is a high-dosage tutoring program designed to accelerate reading achievement for K-5 students in Mississippi. The program utilizes minimum-time AmeriCorps members and high school students (in select communities) to serve as Academic Guides (tutors). AmeriCorps funds the program through a State/National grant (AmeriCorps Mississippi) and the Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF).

Goals 

Mission Acceleration aims to:

  • Positively impact academic outcomes in reading for students in grades K-5
  • Increase the number of skilled Academic Guides  (tutors) in Mississippi through minimum-time AmeriCorps service
  • Reduce the negative effects of the pandemic on the academic and social/emotional well-being  of students in grades K-5
  • Expand resources for parents to support reading development at home. 

Dr. Angela Rutherford
Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction, Director
araines@olemiss.edu

Angela Rutherford is Professor in the Department of Teacher Education, as well as Director of the Center for Excellence in Literacy Instruction (CELI). She has extensive K-12 experience in Mississippi and Alabama where she taught reading and mathematics. Dr. Rutherford has served as principal investigator on many different grant projects. These different projects focus on providing K-12 students’ access to effective teachers, resources, and opportunities so that they are successful learners across the areas of school readiness, summer learning, and community engagement to include engaging college students as volunteer literacy and early childhood teachers or tutors.