Can a second grader who reads at a kindergarten level ever catch up? Results from APC’s I-Ready literacy pilot program say yes, absolutely!
Can a second grader who reads at a kindergarten level ever catch up? Results from APC’s I-Ready literacy pilot program say yes, absolutely!
It’s no secret that homelessness and poverty make it difficult for a child to succeed in school. By the time they find a home at APC with their families, homelessness and poverty have taken a toll on our kids’ ability to succeed in school. As a result, staff at APC’s K-5 Education Center report that our youth are an average of two grade levels behind in reading.
In 2013, APC’s Children & Youth Serviced decided to do something to help our kids get back on track. The staff piloted a web-based literacy program called I-Ready to thirty children. In addition to providing lessons leveled to each child’s ability, the program have the staff had data by which to measure reading progress. A the end of six months, the initial results were extremely promising.
Lacking in opportunity, not ability
What became clear to us during the pilot was that our kids have great ability. What they had been missing was the opportunity to shine.
Isaiah and his family moved to the APC community during his first grade year. When he started the I-Ready program, three months into second grade, his reading scores placed him at an early kindergarten level.
APD staff worked closely with Isaiah and his mom to build his confidence as a reader. He attended programming at APC’s Education Center regularly, and at the end of second grade his improvement caught the notice of his teachers who presented him with a reading award and a small college fund.
Isaiah still participates regularly in the I-Ready program, and his latest reading assessment was nothing short of remarkable. At the beginning of third grade, he was reading at grade level!
APC’s Children & Youth Services plans to expand the I-Ready program to fifty students in 2014 to help even more of our youth bridge the reading gap. With the right opportunities, there is no limit to what they can achieve!
