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Conn. Urban Schools Receive Reading Specialists

Five elementary schools in urban areas around Connecticut have been chosen for a program to boost the literacy of students from kindergarten through third grade. WAMC’s Lucas Willard has more…

The education reform bill that passed earlier this year budgets money for each of the five schools to receive five reading specialists.

The chosen schools announced on Tuesday are in East Hartford, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven and Windham.

Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor credited the state Legislature and members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus with making early reading a priority in education reform.

Connecticut has one of the largest gaps in student reading ability. By the end of third grade, only 26 percent of Hispanic and black students read at goal level on state mastery tests.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Lucas Willard is a news reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011. He produces and hosts The Best of Our Knowledge and WAMC Listening Party.