Strategies to Help Your Child Achieve More in School
Tennessee has moved to significantly higher academic standards to ensure that all of our children receive a high quality education. The resources below will help support parents and students as we expect more, and we achieve more!
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Ask your child’s teacher what support your child needs to be successful. Reinforce those concepts at home.
Expect homework nightly. Check their work. If you’re not seeing homework, check with your child’s teacher!
Contact the school principal or main office to inquire about extra supports within school.
Parents in the Knox County Schools should use Parent Portal (online tool where you can keep track of your child’s progress) so you know where your child is excelling and where they need extra help.
Go to www.knoxschools.org – the "Parent Portal" link is 4th down on the left.

Questions to ask teachers and principals

What can I do to stay more involved in my child's academic progress?
o Is my child working up to his/her ability?
o What steps are being taken by administration in our school to achieve the new standards?
o How do you accommodate differences in learning?
o What special help can the school offer my child to get him or her on track academically?
o If I need to reach you, what is the best way? (E-mail, phone, note, etc.)
For more ideas visit: http://www.parentsconnect.com/parenting-tips/parent_teacher_conference.jhtml

RESOURCES
Parents: A Valuable Resource for Academic Help
If there are a group of students in your school struggling with a specific concept, there may be parents who are willing to tutor. If your school is a PTA school, contact the Knox County Council PTA at pamtrainor@aol.com. The state PTA contact is (888) 782-5712 or ptaoffice@tnpta.org.
Businesses Surrounding Your School
Business professionals are often willing to take time during or after work to work with students on certain academic areas. Contact the Knoxville Chamber for guidance in connecting a business with your school. Contact Ahnna Estes at (865) 246-2658 or aestes@knoxvillechamber.com.
Is Your School a "Project GRAD" School?
In Knoxville, there are several high-need schools that offer extra tutoring and family engagement services during and after school (Beaumont, Belle Morris, Christenberry, Dogwood, Green, Lonsdale, Maynard, Sarah Moore Greene, South Knoxville, Spring Hill, Vine Magnet, Whittle Springs, Austin-East, and Fulton).
For more information on ProjectGRAD please call (865) 525-4030 or visit http://www.projectgradknoxville.org/.
Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, YMCA, YWCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Other After-School Providers

These after-school providers can help with homework assistance and tutoring in specific areas where your child is struggling.
Boys and Girls Club: (865) 248-1200; Big Brothers Big Sisters: (865) 523-2179; YWCA: (865) 523-6126; YMCA: (865) 522-9622; Girl Scouts: (865) 688-9440; Boy Scouts: (865) 588-6514; Wesley House: (865) 524-5494

Literacy
Knoxville Area Urban League – Read and Rise (Up to 3rd grade), (865) 524-5511
Friends of Literacy (Adult literacy assistance), (865) 594-1507
East Tennessee Technology Access Center (Ages vary), (865) 219-0130
Mathematics
Mathnasium, (865) 769-6944 (private); Vol Math, (865) 414-8005 (private)
Science and Technology
Knoxville Area Urban League, The Digital Academy (high tech careers for at-risk middle school students) , (865) 524-5511
Vols4STEM, Science / Technology / Engineering / Math tutoring, jpcarson@tds.net
Tutoring
Many teachers have after-school tutoring during the week, either BEFORE or AFTER school. Contact your school.
Academy Student Resources, (865) 584-0400
Club Z Tutoring, (865) 671-3322
First Class SES Tutoring for high priority/Title I schools, (865) 594-1755
Huntington Learning Center, (865) 691-6688
Sylvan Learning Center of Maryville (865) 681-0121; Sylvan at Cedar Bluff, (865) 690-0671; Sylvan of Knoxville, (865)690-0671
Tutor Connection, (865) 521-7101

Parenting

Parent Information Resource Center (TN Voices for Children), (865) 523-0701, SOwnby@TNVoices.org
Knox County Family Science, (865) 215-2340

Financial Literacy
UT Federal Credit Union (General financial literacy), (865) 971-1971 Ext. 115, tbranam@UTFCU.org
UT Extension (General Financial literacy), (865) 974-8198, aaberry@utk.edu
Knox Housing Partnership (Specifically with home-buying), (865) 637-1679
Knoxville TVA Employee’s Credit Union (General financial literacy), (865) 544-5673, kcanan@tvacreditunion.com
Tennessee Jump$tart, 865-441-1383, www.tnjumpstart.org
CredAbility (formerly Consumer Credit Counseling), (865) 329-8006, (800) 251.2227, Anna.Seale@CredAbility.org

Special Needs
Tennessee Voices for Children, (865) 523-0701
Under the Umbrella, (865) 249-7438 (private)
National Alliance on Mental Illness of Knoxville, (865) 602-7807

ORGANIZATIONS HELPING IN SCHOOLS
Kids Hope USA, http://www.missionamerica.org/Brix?pageID=21607 (Faith-based groups tutoring kids)
The Center for Literacy Studies (UT), (865) 974-4109, http://www.cls.utk.edu/
Full Service Community Schools (UT), (865) 974-8799, rkronick@utk.edu (Extra Services in Schools)
Partners in Education, Knox County Schools, (865) 594-1909, bacons@k12tn.net (Business Partnerships)
For more information, go to www.knoxschools.org.