Keep Kids Reading!
All students read proficiently by 4th grade

Focusing on the cognitive development of children from birth to age three and preparing them for school by age five may be the first and most important step in improving high school graduation rates.

However, this second focus area – reading proficiently by fourth grade – is a major milestone in a child’s educational development.

We know that students who cannot read proficiently by 4^th grade are on the fast track to dropping out. So an elementary school focus is the second educational lynch pin in the pipeline from birth to post secondary school achievement.  

United Way is working on strategies to ensure area 4^th graders will be good readers – and therefore more likely to succeed in middle school and graduate high school on time.

Some strategies that may be considered are focusing on parent engagement or bringing adult volunteers into K-3 schools where they can work to help increase reading proficiency and to help improve student behavior.