| Newark, NJ 鈥撎齆onprofit funder听听and national nonprofit听听today announced that Reading Partners is now听听to help improve early-literacy outcomes in Newark.听, and Reading Partners has been mobilizing communities across the nation for听听to provide students with the听, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade.
鈥淕reenLight Fund Greater Newark is supporting Reading Partners鈥� proven program model because we are committed to addressing Newark鈥檚 literacy crisis,鈥� said听GreenLight Fund Greater Newark Executive Director Tish Johnson-Jones, JD. 鈥淚t is imperative for all of us to step in and support our next generation of leaders by becoming a literacy tutor through Reading Partners today. By signing up to become a tutor, you and听someone you know can help strengthen the literacy skills necessary to prepare our youth for lifelong success.鈥�
Last year,听听to bring Reading Partners鈥� evidence-based program model to Greater Newark. GreenLight Fund Greater Newark鈥檚 investment in the Reading Partners program was informed by a year-long selection process conducted in partnership with the local听听(SAC), a diverse group of talented residents, leaders and experts from various fields. Through the process, GreenLight Fund Greater Newark identified literacy as a critical need in the community and a root cause of other inequities. After searching the country, the SAC selected Reading Partners based on its collaborative approach that prioritizes evidence-based methods and transparent student progress monitoring, demonstrated through real-world.
The need to address literacy gaps in Newark is urgent. According to the听, only 23% of third grade students in Newark are reading at grade level, compared to the听.听, where students make the critical transition from learning to read to reading to learn.
鈥淩eading Partners is excited to start recruiting tutors in Newark to help improve literacy rates and outcomes for our youth,鈥� said听Adeola Whitney, CEO, Reading Partners. 鈥淩eading is a civil right, and we look forward to working with dedicated community members who are interested in using our step-by-step curriculum to provide high-quality instruction to Newark students in order to help close the literacy opportunity gap. 鈥�
Led by Dr. Naima Ricks, who was recently hired as managing director of partnerships and growth for Newark, Reading Partners will help recruit paid and volunteer tutors who will deliver personalized literacy instruction (in-person and online) to an estimated 4,500 students and facilitate family literacy workshops for 3,700 families over the next 4 years. The goal is that over 80% of students engaged will reach their annual literacy growth goals.
In addition, Reading Partners will collaborate with schools and community organizations in Newark to empower them to implement our evidence-based program within their communities to support student learning. Since the partnership was announced last fall, Reading Partners has been providing family engagement resources and working closely with local partners to launch tutoring services and workshops for students starting this summer. Community members interested in becoming Reading Partners tutors are encouraged to get involved听. |
