The National Education Project is fundamentally a voluntary program, which means that both the elementary schools and the individual classroom teachers volunteer to participate. For those elementary schools that do choose to participate, there are several basic operational documents that must be put into effect.

These documents, which are provided each semester by the National Education Project, detail how the program actually works on a day-to-day basis and clearly state for all parties what the undergraduates are required to do, and also what the undergraduates are not allowed to do.

The basic operational documents for the elementary schools are listed here:

1. The College/School Agreement, which is signed by both the principal of the elementary school principal and by the appropriate college administrator;
   
   
2. The Guidelines for the Classroom Teacher and the Classroom Teacher's One-Page, End-of-Semester Evaluation Form, which are distributed at the beginning of each semester to each classroom teacher who receives a tutor from this Project; and
   
   
3. The Attendance Book, which is kept in the central office of the elementary school and which the undergraduates use to sign in and sign out for each tutoring session during the entire semester.

These documents establish for all parties how the course operates, and also make it clear that the undergraduates work as tutors, and only as tutors, for the entire semester. They are not permitted to engage in any other activity.

As a fundamental matter, therefore, the undergraduates:

1. Do not grade papers for the classroom teacher;
   
   
2. Do not monitor the cafeteria at lunchtime;
   
   
3. Do not supervise recess;
   
   
4. Do not do office work for the school principal; and
   
   
5. Are not permitted to work with the class as one large group.

Moreover, the undergraduates tutor during the regular school day, and they work at all times under the direct supervision of the classroom teachers; that is, the tutors are not allowed to work with the children unless a teacher is present at all times. There are no exceptions.

Responsibilities of the classroom teachers include providing the minimal on-the-job training the tutors require, as well as daily supervision and guidance. (For a complete description of the responsibilities of the classroom teacher, please see Training and Supervision of the Tutors by the Classroom Teachers.)

Each elementary school also is required to provide a member of the school staff (called the "Agency Representative") to help coordinate the tutoring activities of the undergraduates. The Agency Representative is usually a member of the senior school administration, such as an assistant principal or the school's chief reading specialist.

Among other duties, the Agency Representatives are responsible for:

1. Providing an orientation for the undergraduates at the elementary school during the first week of the semester. During this orientation, the undergraduates are given a tour of the school; introduced to the classroom teacher with whom they will be working; and acquainted with the general rules of the school.
   
   Actual tutoring, however, must begin no later than the undergraduate's second visit to the school.
   
   
2. Providing a place in the school's central office for the Attendance Book, which the undergraduates use to sign in and sign out for each tutoring session throughout the semester.
   
   
3. Matching tutors with classroom teachers (who volunteer to accept a tutor into their classroom) and assisting in establishing effective tutoring situations.
   

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