A community campaign to improve early child literacy in Springfield, Massachusetts has won national honors.
Springfield’s “Reading Success by 4th Grade” initiative was cited for making measurable progress on reducing chronic school absenteeism and for an innovative summer reading program, according to Amy O’Leary, who represents the national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.
"Springfield is doing well," said O'Leary. " We know they are a model not just in Massachusetts, but across the country."
Only 40 percent of Springfield’s children read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade, but that’s an improvement over the 28 percent reading proficiency when the initiative began more than five years ago. Research shows children who can read proficiently by 4th grade are less likely to drop out of high school.
