Early literacy is the foundation for an equitable start in school and for a lifetime of greater opportunities. The Read to Me Project helps under-served children achieve kindergarten readiness and a lifetime of literacy by empowering school age brothers and sisters to read to their young siblings at home. We also raise public awareness about the literacy crisis and the need for language development and pre-reading skills during a child's first five years of life.
Expert educators say illiteracy is preventable. Yet the focus in schools is on remedial programs and does not address the root cause of what has for decades been called a low-literacy crisis. Among the est. 550 4th-6th grade classes in Monterey County alone, 461 are low performing, defined by 50% or more students per class who do not meet grade level standards. Early literacy knowledge is essential for learning how to read, for an equitable start in school, and a lifetime of greater opportunity.
Read to Me Project (RtMP) is a prevention-based solution to the primary reason why 70% of children are starting and staying at least two years behind in school: low literacy. RtMP helps children achieve kindergarten readiness and a lifetime of literacy by empowering school age brothers and sisters to read aloud to their young siblings at home. Students are provided with books and trained on the "9 Best Ways to Read to Young Children." Ways that develop the little one's literacy knowledge.
The Read to Me Project: Is designed to give young children the foundation of early literacy knowledge that is essential for learning how to read once they start school. Works remedially with students. Participating student assessment scores improved by 68% compared to students who did not participate in the program. Long-term impacts include a reduction in the achievement gap and the interrupted generational cycle of low literacy within underserved no/low literate families.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
