[Factc] Incarcerated tutors

[Zavrel, Lauren]

Hello all,

I have been asked to testify on Tuesday the 10th in support of HB1024 which would increase incarcerated worker pay, and advocate specifically for a larger boost in pay to peer tutors. I will have about 1 minute to speak, but was invited to include written testimony from others, which is why I am writing you. It's a short turnaround, but if you would like to chime in with support for incarcerated tutors, please reply to me with a written blurb of any length that I may submit when I testify. I am also getting submissions from former tutors.

If this helps: in a nutshell, HS+ would not be able to run with any success at Larch without the support of the tutors. Our graduation rates at Larch have soared from about 15% to now 85% because of the launch of HS+ as an alternative to the GED, the smaller class sizes that COVID forced us into, and the tutor cadre. Tutors currently earn 42 cents per hour; when we cannot hold classes due to wildfire, snow closures, prison lockdowns or COVID, tutors continue to provide academic support in the living units to students who refuse to quit. They are by far the most important resource for incarcerated students - more important than books, computers, and even faculty in many cases, as many students simply will not trust a teacher at first without the intervention and reassurance of a peer tutor. Tutors are THE #1 reason our completion rates soar at Larch, THE #1 reason we have CLOSED the equity gaps in the demographics of those completers since 2018, and THE #1 reason why infraction rates among basic skills students have dropped almost to zero.

Sorry for the short notice; I only found out about this last night. Please message me if you have questions or would like further information.

Thank you,


Lauren L. Zavrel

BEdA Faculty, Clark College

Larch Corrections Center

(360) 260-6300 ext 41357

lzavrel at clark.edu

lzavrel at doc1.wa.gov

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