Littera Education and Off2Class Partner to Help English Learners Quickly Build Proficiency Through Virtual Tutoring

West Aurora School District 129 in Illinois is the first in the nation to implement the virtual high-impact tutoring solution to support ELs amidst widespread staffing shortages

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Approximately 5 million students are English learners (ELs) in U.S. public schools, and that number is expected to grow as record numbers of migrants cross into the country. Most states, however, have a shortage of staff with English language development (ELD) teaching experience and skills. To help districts support ELs in grades 6-12, Littera Education and Off2Class have partnered to provide a comprehensive, high-impact tutoring solution.

Littera’s team of highly-trained virtual tutors will deliver sessions to ELs in 1:1 or small group sessions using the Off2Class toolkit and Littera Tutoring Management System (TMS). Off2Class provides extensive lesson content for adolescent ELs, including homework, a placement test, and assessments that work seamlessly in an online environment. Tutors will use the content to provide explicit vocabulary and grammar instruction focused on communicative and academic language, aligned to Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and Assessment (WIDA) standards.

“Some of the most acute staffing shortages in middle and high schools are among teachers who are well-trained to work with English learners,” said Justin Serrano, CEO of Littera. “With this solution, we can help districts provide targeted support for ELs of all levels.“

In West Aurora School District 129 (SD129), where nearly 30% of students are ELs, district leaders have been unable to recruit and hire new staff to teach ELs amidst statewide teacher shortages. In August 2023, Off2Class was being rolled out as a tool to save district teachers time in preparing for lessons with secondary newcomers.

“Students from over 40 different language backgrounds are represented in our classrooms,” said Dr. Brent Raby, SD 129’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. “With Littera tutors and Off2Class, we now have an evidence-based, practical solution to rapidly provide individualized support to our multilingual learners.”

SD129 will offer Littera virtual tutoring to ELs in their homes twice a week for 45 minutes per session or three times a week for 30 minutes per session. Each student will meet one-on-one with the same virtual tutor in a rich audio/video environment so they build rapport and trust throughout the school year. As tutors log feedback in the Littera TMS, the district can monitor program execution in real-time.

“By combining Off2Class’s engaging, age-appropriate materials with the personalized, caring support of Littera tutors, districts of all sizes can help learners build the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills they’ll need for success in school and in life,” said Kris Jagasia, co-founder and CEO of Off2Class.

Off2Class is an English Language Development (ELD) curriculum for all secondary ELD student populations, from newcomers to long-term English learners, and is paired with a placement test, homework, assessments, and student data tracking tools. Off2Class meets the Level IV requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). It has been used in more than 120 countries with more than 100,000 students.

For information, visit www.litteraeducation.com/curriculum/eld.

About Littera

Littera customizes high-impact tutoring for K-12 schools and districts by supporting any student, subject, schedule, or staffing model. With our virtual tutors, curriculum integrations, and the Littera Tutoring Management System, schools can reach every learner with individualized support. For information, visit www.litteraeducation.com.