General Questions

What is ATS Project Success?

ATS Project Success is an approved Supplemental Educational Services Provider (SES). We are currently approved in 30 states:

Arkansas
Alabama
California
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Kentucky
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana

Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
New Jersey
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina

Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wyoming

The company began providing supplemental services in 2003 and is based in Clinton Township, Michigan.

In the last three years, ATS Project Success has served over 300 school districts in twenty states:

Arkansas
Alabama
California
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Kentucky

Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
New Hampshire
New Jersey

Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
Tennessee
Wyoming

During the 2006-07 school year, ATS Project Success worked with 4000 students.

What kind of tutoring is available?

On-line, in home tutoring is available in mathematics and reading with support from our tutors. Students work on our cumputer and interact with the SuccessMaker® Program. To view a video demonstration, Click here...

What grade levels do we service?

We service kindergarten through eighth grade students, including English Language Learners and special education students.

How are tutors chosen?

We choose our staff based upon their highly-qualified credentials and their experience in successfully working with children.

How are tutors prepared to work with the students?

Once hired, tutors go through state and federal background checks as well as drug testing. They then begin an extensive training program covering our philosophy, the overview of our program, the SuccessMaker® software program and methods to deal with the students we serve. Twice a month meetings are held with the teachers to discuss student management strategies and changes in curriculum and program overview.

What is the student-tutor ratio?

Each student is assigned a tutor who contacts them weekly.

Where and when are the services provided?

Services are provided in the student's own home and are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

What does the student use for the tutoring?

ATS Project Success supplies one of our desktop computers free of charge to the student. Internet access is also provided. The computer is shipped via delivery service with detailed instructions. Our easy to follow instructions make it possible for the students or parents to set up the computer. The computer is on loan from ATS and needs to be returned at the end of the program. We schedule and pay for pickup of the computer.

What if there is trouble with the computer?

A computer technician is available by phone from 8AM-8PM Monday thru Thursday, 8AM-5PM Friday and 8AM-1PM Saturday EST. They are trained to assist the student or parent with the set-up of the computer or any other technical issues.

What happens if the family already has a computer or Internet connection?

Our computers are configured to be used for ATS Project Success. We have found that parents who try to use their own computer are not as successful as those who use our computers. Also, parents who use a DSL connection seem to have more difficulty using our program. Therefore, we insist on using our equipment. We pay for the dial-up Internet connection for families as part of our program.

What happens if there is more than one person in the family that is receiving services?

We ship one computer to each household. Each student is given a different user name and password to access the program.

What about the safety of using the Internet?

Each computer that is sent out is equipped with a program that prohibits the student from getting to the Web. While we cannot guarantee that students are not able to get to the Web, we are confident in saying that thus far none have been successful accessing any other site. We also encourage parents to set up the computer in a visible place in the home like the kitchen or family room. Our tutors have been trained in Internet safety and can recognize when a child is not working on our program.

What does the parent need to supply to participate in the program?

A working telephone line is a necessity for our program. Also, there must be a place to put the desktop computer in the home on a table.

What is the general program of instruction provided to the students?

Students use the SuccessMaker® software program developed by Pearson Digital Technologies. This program is preloaded on the computer the students receive and is ready to begin working with the students as soon as the computer is assembled and turned on. The program is self-paced. Students are given log-in information by their tutor.

Assessment and Accountability

How are students assessed?

Our students are assessed by the SuccessMaker® program (IPM). They are tested using the initial placement motion or as soon as they begin our program. Their instructional level is determined and the curriculum is set to meet their level. Growth is measured comparing the IPM and the end program level.

How do we measure student growth?

We measure a student's growth by his/her increase in instructional level. We expect students to increase their instructional level by one complete level after 30 hours of instruction in each subject. We compare the IPM to the ending level of the student to determine the growth.

To what degree do current assessment measures used by ATS Project Success reflect state content standards?

SuccessMaker® is correlated to the state standards of all the states we are approved in.

Communications

What happens at the beginning of the program?

The school district's student learning plan is filled out for the student with consultation from the school, parents and an ATS Project Success tutor. The parents are contacted by the tutor to discuss the program. A plan of work is put together by the tutor and the parents to determine when the tutoring will begin and end as well as the expectations of the tutor and parents. Once there has been verification of a working phone line and approval from the school district, the computer is shipped.

How is student progress communicated to parents?

Each week, the parents are called by the teacher and given a report of the student's progress. Also, a weekly report and newsletter is sent to the parents.

How is student progress communicated to the districts?

The school district coordinator is e-mailed student progress information once per week and copies of progress reports once a month. Classroom teachers are given progress reports once a month.

How is attendance communicated to the parents and the district?

Attendance is communication via the weekly progress reports. Also, a monthly calendar is sent to the parents for them to review and approve.

What happens when the student finishes their tutoring program?

The student is sent an ATS Project Success medal, certificate and final report for the program. The computer is picked up by a delivery service.

Funding & Cost of the Program

How often can the students receive the services?

Students can work on our program any day of the week, any time of day as permitted by the school district. Our minimum attendance requirement is two hours per week. Some districts set limits of how many hours per day/week the students can receive tutoring. ATS Project Success adheres to these limits.

What is the minimum and maximum number of students ATS Project Success can service in the LEA?

Because our program is individualized, we can service one student in a district or we can service one thousand.

What is the charge per session?

ATS Project Success charges $50 per hour for service in the 2007-08 school year. We actually bill by the minute based on how long the students are on line and engaged in the program. A calendar is sent to each parent monthly to sign, indicating their agreement with the time worked. Again, certain district requirements may vary.

What is needed for the students to access the services?

No transportation is needed since the students are working in the safety and comfort of their own homes. All that is needed is a working home phone line and a table to place the computer on.

What cost is there to the parent for the program?

There is no cost to the parents for the program. All equipment, Internet access and shipping costs are taken care of by ATS Project Success. The parent must make sure there is a working telephone line and a work surface to put the computer on.

Insentive Program

What type of incentive program does ATS Project Success offer?

ATS Project Success follows the EIA Code of Conduct and will only distribute or participate in any incentive program as long as the particular state, district or school allows it. We DO NOT use incentives to sign children up for our program.

If the state, district or school allows incentives, we utilize the following program.

Currently, we will issue a Tie Dye T-Shirt upon completion of the Initial Placement Motion (IPM), which is our testing for the program. Weekly McDonald’s gift card rewards are issued based on achievement goals set by the tutor. Special educational based contests with opportunities to win prizes are also used. Upon completion of the program, children earn a completion certificate and an ATS Project Success completion metal.