Thursday, July 26, 2012

2012 All-America City Grade Level Reading Awards

2012 All-America City Grade Level Reading Awards

The National Civic League recognizes ten communities each year for outstanding civic accomplishments. To win, each community must demonstrate innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross sector collaboration by describing successful efforts to address pressing local challenges.

The award program was founded in 1949 when a newspaper reporter approached the National Civic League (then known as the National Municipal League) with the idea of naming the 10 best governed cities each year. Instead, the league created a program that recognized cities for civic achievements.

The National Civic League is adding its support to national efforts to address a persistent challenge in education: increasing the number of low-income children reading at grade level by the end of third grade.

2012 All-America Cities
Baltimore, Maryland
created a Grade-Level Reading Campaign to achieve three goals by 2020: 1) Average daily attendance of 97 percent for students in grades K-3. 2) More than 80 percent of students reading at grade level by the end of third grade. 3) More than 80 percent of all children fully prepared for kindergarten.
Dubuque, Iowa
coalition plans to connect more 4-year-olds to preschool, expand opportunities for 3-year-olds, and partner with local colleges to provide professional development for teachers, para-educators, and childcare providers. This process will ensure that early learning aligns with the primary grades.
Louisville, Kentucky
Every1Reads initiative: 100% of third graders will be reading on grade level by 2020. In addition, 80% of Jefferson County public school preschoolers will enter kindergarten “ready to learn,” and 90% of the system’s pre-K to third graders will attend school for 95 percent of the school year.
Marshalltown, Iowa
increase the number of children reading proficiently by the end of third grade to 90% by the year 2016. Other goals for 2016 are: 85% of children entering kindergarten will be ready to learn.
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
encourage teen moms to read to their children, creating programs like Third Thursdays – a monthly celebration of literacy.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence Children and Youth Cabinet (CYC), a cross-sector collaborative of public, private, and nonprofit leadership focused on improving outcomes for all of Providence’s children.
Quad Cities, Iowa and Illinois
create a system of support for existing programs (both within and outside the school districts) that makes it easier to share resources across both district and state boundaries.
Roanoke, Virginia
Star City Reads committee to respond to the area’s core challenges in early education.
San Antonio, Texas
launch a campaign in both English and Spanish to raise awareness about the value of “Talking, Singing, Reading, Writing, and Playing,” the five components of its Every Child Ready to Read initiative.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco United School District, First 5 San Francisco, the Office of Mayor Edwin M. Lee, and the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth & Their Families have come together to develop a plan to double the number of third graders who are reading at grade level by the end of the decade.
Seattle and South King County Cities, Washington
Road Map Project aimed at dramatically improving student achievement from cradle to college and career.
Southern Pines, North Carolina
increasing the number of children enrolled in high quality child care and early childhood education; creating learning opportunities for low-income preschool children not enrolled in formal care; facilitating communication between early care providers and kindergarten teachers; and expanding number of at-risk children who participate in quality inter-session and summer learning programs.
Springfield, Massachusetts
Reading Success by Fourth Grade Campaign: educate parents, guardians, and childcare providers about their role in supporting early literacy and skill development through programs such as Ready! For Kindergarten; and providing more efficient training for teachers of all students in the fourth grade and below to boost early literary skills.
Tahoe/Truckee, California
Reads Campaign first met in fall 2011 to plan how community groups will increase the percentage of students reading at grade level by the end of third grade to 80% by 2020.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Literacy Tribune Newsletter: July 2012

Literacy Tribune: July 2012
The Adult Learner Network Newsletter

United Literacy, a non-profit organization, provides resources and support to adult literacy learners in the United States. Its aim is to make literacy education accessible and worthwhile for adult learners.

Main Story: Getting it off & Keeping it off: First Steps: By Julia Pusztai, MSN RN, Director, The Neighborhood Wellness Center

A History Lesson: The Social Security Act of 1935
On June 8, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt told Congress that he wanted to start a program for social security.

Member Spotlight: Joe Buford
Learning to read and write has changed everything for Joe Buford, an adult learner of the Nashville Adult Literacy Council.

Technology Watch: LibreOffice for Students and Non-Profits
It is at the top of my list of “must-have” software. It's free. You get a complete office suite

The Literacy Tribune is looking for adult learner writers.
Are you an adult learner ?
Do you want to write ?
Do you want to publish your writing ?

You can write about:
Your road to literacy
Your literacy organization
Literacy resources you like
You can write book reviews, poetry, short stories
You can write articles about health, finance, or technology
You can write just about anything !

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Literacy Calendar: July 2012

Literacy Calendar: July 2012

For More
Literacy, Library and Education
Events & Conferences
visit





July 12+ Conference of the Americas: Riviera Maya, Mexico
July 21:  Autism Sensory Friendly Films: ICE AGE @10am
July 23+ NIOST Summer Seminars: Boston, MA
July 25+ Autism Society National Conference: San Diego, CA
July 25+ Romance Writers of America Conference: Anaheim, CA
July 29+ Correction Education Assn Conference: St. Paul, MN
July 30+ National Comprehensive Literacy Institute: Anaheim, CA
July 31+ Mental Health - Learning Disabilities in Children Plano, TX