General Questions

What is We Strive for Literacy?

We Strive for Literacy (WSFL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides high-impact, evidence-based reading instruction for children who are struggling to read.

We partner with families and community organizations to make effective literacy tutoring accessible to both underserved and paying families.

Who do you serve?

We work with:

• Children who are behind in reading
• Students who “hate reading” or avoid it
• Students who have tried other tutoring but haven’t made enough progress

We currently focus on elementary school students, and we’ll help you decide if your child is a good fit during the intake call.

What makes your program different from other reading tutoring?

Most traditional programs:

• Print to Speech- traditional decoding approach
• No clear end date– Long-term, ongoing with no set finish line
• Practice rules to mastery.

At WSFL, we:

• Use EBLI™, a speech-to-print approach grounded in reading science
• We have a defined pathway that can be finished in about 3–4 months
• Tell you the timeline and total investment up front
• Offer scholarship, sliding scale, and full-tuition options all within one nonprofit mission
• Measurable grade level gains in 12 hours or less

Our goal is not years of tutoring—it’s strong gains in a clear, defined program.

Program & Curriculum

What is EBLI ?

EBLI™ (Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction™) is a speech-to-print, structured linguistic literacy approach.

Instead of starting with printed letters and rules (print-to-speech), EBLI™ begins with:

• The sounds in spoken words
• Then connects those sounds to spelling patterns
• While teaching reading, spelling, and writing together

This helps students read more accurately and fluently in a shorter amount of time.

How long is the program?

Our entire program is designed as a 16-week pathway:

• Phase 1 – Core Boost:
  • 8 weeks / 16 sessions
  • Students complete about 90 of the 140 EBLI™ activities and get a strong boost in foundational skills.
• Phase 2 – Mastery & Application:
  • Extends to 16 weeks total / 32 sessions
  • Students complete the remaining EBLI™ sequence and apply skills to real books, articles, spelling, and writing.

All students start in Phase 1. When possible, we continue into Phase 2 so they can complete the full pathway.

Can my child do just Phase 1 (8 weeks)?

Yes.

• Some families choose Phase 1 only as a shorter “core boost” program.
• Others enroll in the full 16-week program from the start.

For scholarship students, Phase 1 is guaranteed, and we extend into Phase 2 as funding allows and if data shows more support is needed.

Do you work with students who have dyslexia, ADHD, or IEPs?

Yes. Many of our students:

• Have dyslexia or other reading-related learning differences
• Have ADHD or attention challenges
• Have IEPs or 504 plans at school

EBLI™ is flexible and explicit, which benefits a wide range of learners. We’ll review your child’s history during intake so we can personalize their instruction.

Is tutoring online or in-person?

Right now, our program is primarily virtual, which allows:

• Consistent scheduling
• Access for families across different areas
• A safe, focused learning environment

We may offer limited in-person options through community partners. If that becomes available, we’ll share those locations on our site.

What technology or materials do we need?

For virtual sessions, families will need:

• A laptop (no cell phones)
• Stable internet connection
• Zoom (free to download)
• A document camera (or a way for the tutor to clearly see student work)
• A 12″×18″ whiteboard, dry-erase markers, and eraser

If needed, we can help provide or recommend materials.

Tuition, Sliding Scale, and Scholarships

How much does the program cost?

For full-tuition families:

• Full Pathway (16 weeks / 32 sessions):
  • $2,000 total
  • Payment options:
    • $500/month for 4 months, or
    • $250 every two weeks (8 payments)
• Phase 1 only (8 weeks / 16 sessions):
  • $1,000 total

This includes all instruction, progress monitoring, and parent updates.

What are your three tuition options?

We offer three paths so more families can access our program:

1. Access for All – Scholarship Track (Low/No Cost)
   • For underserved families with significant financial need
   • Phase 1 (8 weeks) is guaranteed
   • Phase 2 may be added if funding is available
2. Shared Support – Sliding Scale Track
   • For families who can pay something but not full tuition
   • Tuition is set based on income and circumstances
   • Can be used for Phase 1 or the full 16-week program
3. Complete Pathway – Full Tuition Track
   • For families who can invest in the full program at $2,000
   • Includes all 32 sessions over 16 weeks
   • Your enrollment helps fund scholarships and cover coach salaries

How does the sliding scale work?

Our sliding scale adjusts tuition based on your family’s situation.

For the full 16-week program (32 sessions):

• Tier A – $1,600 total (approx. $400/month for 4 months)
• Tier B – $1,300 total (approx. $325/month for 4 months)

For Phase 1 only (8 weeks / 16 sessions):

• Full value: $1,000
• Tier A: $800
• Tier B: $650

We’ll ask a few simple questions about income and circumstances—no long, complicated forms.

How do scholarships work?

Our Access for All Scholarship Program is funded by:

• Individual donors
• Grants
• Our full-tuition families

Key points:

• Phase 1 (8 weeks) is guaranteed for scholarship students once accepted.
• We prioritize students from underserved communities and low-income families.
• When funding allows and data shows continued need, we extend students into Phase 2.

Scholarship spots are limited each session. If you’re interested, select the scholarship option on our intake form.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes.

For the $2,000 full program, families can choose:

• 4 monthly payments of $500, or
• 8 biweekly payments of $250

Sliding-scale amounts can also be split into monthly payments.

Results, Assessments, and Expectations

How do you measure progress?

We use a combination of:

• Research-based reading assessments before, during, and after the program
• Ongoing informal checks of decoding, fluency, and comprehension
• Tutor notes on confidence, participation, and independence

Families receive:

• A baseline summary at the start
• Resources for practicing.
• A final report showing growth and next-step recommendations

What kind of results can we expect?

Every child is different, but we often see:

• Students moving 1 or more grade levels in reading in a single term
• Increased confidence, accuracy, and willingness to read
• Clearer spelling and writing skills as speech, sounds, and spelling patterns connect

We don’t promise a specific number of grade levels, but we do promise:

• A structured, high-impact approach
• Honest progress monitoring
• Clear communication with you as a parent

What happens after the 16-week program?

At the end of the 16 weeks, we will:

• Review your child’s final assessment data
• Discuss whether your child:
  • Is ready to graduate from tutoring, or
  • Would benefit from maintenance support (less frequent sessions) or another focused block

Our goal is independence, not keeping families in tutoring forever.

Scheduling, Attendance, and Parent Role

How often are sessions held?

• Sessions are held twice per week for 45 minutes each.
• You’ll choose a consistent weekly schedule (for example, Mon/Wed at 4:00 PM).

What if we miss a session?

We understand that life happens.

• With advance notice, we do our best to offer a make-up session, based on tutor availability.
• Frequent no-shows or last-minute cancellations may lead to lost sessions, so we ask families to treat sessions like a class.

Your exact make-up policy will be detailed in your welcome packet.

How involved do parents need to be?

Your involvement makes a big difference.

We ask parents to:

• Help your child log in on time and have materials ready
• Encourage consistent attendance
• Read with your child or listen to them read between sessions, when possible
• Stay in touch with us about any changes, concerns, or wins

You do not need to know EBLI™—that’s our job. Your job is to guard the time and cheer your child on.

How do we get started?

Your child begins sessions and we start working toward stronger reading, greater confidence, and more joyful learning.

Click Here to Sign Up

We’ll schedule a short intake call to learn about your child, answer questions, and discuss tuition options (scholarship, sliding scale, or full tuition).

If it’s a good fit, we’ll:

Complete enrollment

Schedule your sessions

Send your welcome packet and tech/material list