News & Events
Funder Collaborative for Reading Success Announced: Will Support Programs to Help Springfield’s 3rd Graders Read Proficiently by 2016
Springfield – Representatives of the Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade early literacy initiative were joined by local business and foundation collaborators to announce the launching of the Funder Collaborative for Reading Success by 4th Grade on Tuesday, November 8. At the launch event, collaborative members announced that they have raised almost $1 million, which represents 2/3 of the $1.5 million goal they have undertaken.
Initiated by the SIS Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, with leadership by the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the Funder Collaborative for Reading Success by 4th Grade also includes representation from the Berkshire Bank Foundation, the Beveridge Family Foundation, MassMutual Financial Group, People’s United Bank, TD Bank Foundation, and the United Way of the Pioneer Valley.
Also speaking at the event at the Edward P. Boland School in Springfield was Ralph Smith, Managing Director of a national initiative, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, and Senior Vice President of The Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort by dozens of funders across the nation to close the gap in reading achievement that separates many low-income students from their peers; raise the bar for reading proficiency so that all students are assessed by world-class standards; and ensure that all children, including and especially children from low-income families, have an equitable opportunity to meet those higher standards.
Resources raised by the Funder Collaborative will be used to support early literacy programming aimed at helping Springfield’s children reach the goal of 80% reading proficiently at the end of third grade by the year 2016. Currently, reading proficiency is under 40% for Springfield’s third graders.
Check out the news coverage of the event to learn more:
WAMC Radio
WWLP Television
WGGBabc40
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At two sites of the Springfield Housing Authority, children and their families are being connected with tools, supports and programs to boost children's early literacy skills. Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Talk/Read/Succeed has brought together a strong group of collaborative partners, lead by United Way of the Pioneer Valley, the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County and the Springfield Housing Authority in a program that is part of the Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative. The goal of the community-wide initiative: 80% of Springfield's children will be able to read proficiently by the end of third grade by 2016.
Learn more by viewing these videos, produced for the Springfield Housing Authority.
