Leap Learning Center

LEAP’s mission is to help disadvantaged students reading below grade level become confident and successful readers. Our LEAP Reading Intervention Program was created to eliminate the resource disparities that exist between underprivileged students and their peers by providing a free research-based guided group reading program that will ultimately equip our students with the necessary tools to reach their grade-level reading goals. LEAP is committed to and operates under the belief that all children can learn. Our vision is to break the perpetual cycle of illiteracy and poverty by developing attitudes and behaviors that promote success in school and create new paths for a bright and promising future.

Founded in 1999, LEAP originated as a community outreach effort initiated by St. Paul's Episcopal Church on behalf of church members, neighbors, parents, and teachers concerned about the widening achievement gap among economically disadvantaged and English Learner students in TUSD. Sally Parkin, a credentialed teacher specializing in reading strategies for struggling readers, was hired as LEAP's Executive Director in 2000 and created our highly effective LEAP curriculum, and helped LEAP establish a 501(c)(3) status in 2008.

For many years, LEAP provided daily math and literacy support to approximately 60 children from a nearby Title I school. From 2003 to 2013, when TUSD had to eliminate summer school programs due to budget cuts, LEAP jumped in and served approximately 140 children through June and July from all 10 Title I schools, free of charge.

In September 2013, at the request of TUSD, LEAP moved our afterschool program from St. Paul's Episcopal Church to 2 Title I campuses. Having LEAP on-site enabled us to work closely with our students' classroom teachers to provide targeted instruction specifically tailored to each child's needs. At this juncture, it became apparent that we needed to focus solely on literacy support. By 2015, in recognition of our program's remarkable success, TUSD provided a grant for LEAP to serve 2 additional Title I school sites, which allowed LEAP to serve 160 students across four Title I schools in Tustin: Beswick, Estock, Heideman, and Nelson.

For over 20 years, LEAP has supported more than 3,800 students in closing the achievement gap by offering a proven, highly effective program that successfully helps our students reach their grade-level reading goals. The exceptional growth that our LEAP students demonstrate, every year, confirms the impact of our program. On average, our LEAP students improve by 4 or more reading levels. As standard yearly growth is typically 3 reading levels, our LEAP students make the additional annual gains needed to eventually close the grade-level reading gap.

At LEAP, we believe that literacy is a foundational civil right. A person must know how to read to earn a living wage, care for oneself and a family, afford housing, and make informed health decisions. This is why our dedicated LEAP team works tirelessly to support students in closing the achievement gap and inspiring a new generation of readers, thinkers, and doers!

Moving forward, we realize that to achieve our goal of serving more academically at-risk students—and ensure the long-term sustainability of our program—we must make it a priority to secure additional funding so that we can: 1) serve more economically disadvantaged and English Learner students; 2) hire and retain staff, as the demands of our program grow; 3) purchase books and other essential support materials to better assist and accommodate our lower-performing students; 4) invest in technological upgrades for improved program efficiency and effectiveness, and 5) incrementally increase the compensation of our Executive Director and staff to reach a competitive salary that is in line with other nonprofit organizations of similar size and scope.   

Our LEAP Reading Intervention Program currently serves academically at-risk students at five Title I elementary schools in the TUSD. The TUSD boundaries include all of Tustin, California, as well as portions of Irvine, Santa Ana, and unincorporated North Tustin. 

One key element that separates our LEAP Reading Intervention Program from many other afterschool tutoring programs, and has made our approach so effective, is that we are not a drop-in—come as often, or as little as you like—program. Our staff and tutors put tremendous time and energy into reading about and studying the best practices, methods, and techniques for teaching under-literate students who are learning in their non-native language, while at the same time grappling with the everyday challenges that come with poverty. We know through experience that our students thrive in an environment where they feel safe and valued and can depend on familiar faces and consistent routines. This is why we ask for a year-long commitment from all prospective LEAP students, their families, tutors, and staff. It is crucial that we work with the same students, four days a week, in the same small peer groups, with the same weekly tutors, for an entire school year, so that our students are able to achieve the best possible outcome. Research confirms that students who receive focused attention and nurturing on a consistent basis, from a well-trained and highly qualified tutor, will ultimately be more motivated and likely to succeed.

America faces a huge challenge—illiteracy is holding back too many school children across all academic disciplines. In a democracy, illiteracy cannot stand. Long ago, we made it our mission to meet this challenge. I was attracted to LEAP because my family and I passionately believe LEAP provides the most direct means for my time, effort, and dollars to make a genuine difference in our community. Having been involved for over 35 years in a variety of school, community, and county-wide activities, I felt LEAP was the best choice for my long-term involvement. As a board, LEAP seeks members who have exhibited leadership in business and community and who believe in our goals. All of our board members have worked publicly and privately for decades as CEOs, CFOs in business, administrators, and teachers in our schools, and all are outstanding community leaders. They have donated dollars to other worthy causes, served on boards, or participated in conferences. But, working with LEAP they tell us, they have found they can directly impact illiteracy by helping academically at-risk children overcome their English deficit and improve academically. The LEAP Board of Directors is deeply involved and committed to LEAP. All but two of our board members also serve as LEAP tutors. All members support LEAP financially. All serve as ambassadors for LEAP throughout the community. At each monthly board meeting, stories are shared relating to the successes, frustrations, and challenges faced with tutoring these students.