Arkansas Community Foundation has joined forces with Excel by Eight to help every child in Arkansas read at grade level by the end of third grade.
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Research indicates the transition from third to fourth grade marks a shift from learning to read to reading to learn. Almost all readers who were proficient in the third grade (96%) graduated from high school. Cutting Arkansas’ dropout rate in half would lead to an estimated $42 million in increased earnings for our citizens.
How do we help? Community Foundation grants in the Grade-Level Reading arena support programs like Imagination Library, Reach Out and Read, Raising a Reader and other proven pathways to helping families become engaged.
Is your organization looking for funding for early literacy programs? Learn more about applying here.
There is a tremendous amount of data about early literacy in Arkansas, along with many organizations working to address the issue. Dig into the stats and learn more here.