By Dr. Rebecca Parshall
Metro Atlanta’s literacy crisis is real: just 41% of 3rd graders scored proficient on last year’s English Language Arts exam. Fortunately, solutions are also real and underway. A large body of research in ‘the science of reading’ shows how to build young readers, and it’s everyone’s responsibility. Over the last few years, our region has been building an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach to early literacy. The literacy training that is supporting our teachers is also available to all adults, including nonprofits that work with children.
In collaboration with The Rollins Center for Language and Literacy and its free, online Cox Campus, Learn4Life expanded Literacy and Justice for All to include nonprofit partners in 2023. The inaugural cohort of volunteers and nonprofit staff represented the following nine organizations:
- Agape Youth and Family Center
- Alliance Theatre
- Children’s Museum of Atlanta
- Cobb Collaborative
- Cobb County Public Library
- Everybody Wins! Atlanta
- LaAmistad
- The Literacy Lab
- SKIP Georgia Chapter Inc
In total, these organizations serve more than 150,000 children a year. Nearly 100 staff and volunteers engaged in 250+ courses on Cox Campus and earned the Nonprofit Certificate of Completion. Their impact on children’s literacy development will be significant and signals a true ecosystem approach across metro Atlanta.
“We’ve always known reading aloud helps develop young readers; now we understand the science behind it,” said Sue Palermo, Program Director at Everybody Wins! Atlanta. “Sharing this with our volunteers means they are more intentional and confident in their read aloud sessions with students, producing a greater impact on literacy skills.”
Julius Cave, Program Manager of the Leading Men Fellowship at The Literacy Lab shared similar sentiments: “This training helped our Fellows gain a deeper understanding of brain development, language, and literacy skill development while also providing practical tools they can implement in their daily work with Pre-K students.”
Whether training volunteers or nonprofit staff, participating organizations found value in this training collaboration: “The members of the Cobb Library team discover tremendous value in completing Cox Campus courses and making positive connections in Learn4Life and the Literacy and Justice for All networks for delivering meaningful community impact throughout Cobb County,” said Tom Brooks, Communications Specialist at Cobb County Public Library.
Literacy and Justice for All was launched in 2021 as a metro Atlanta initiative to build knowledge, capacity, and skills in adults to support children’s language and literacy development. Literacy and Justice for All takes an ecosystem approach, including parents, healthcare providers, early childhood educators, and K-12 school districts. And it is showing tremendous results: in Marietta City Schools, the first partner district, 3rd grade reading scores grew five times faster than the regional average. More importantly, though, Marietta is closing equity gaps across student subgroups; Black students, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students grew at higher rates than the overall student population.
Are you interested in joining Literacy and Justice for All? Here are several options to engage:
- Nonprofits can start their own self-paced learning journeys here.
- Nonprofits that are interested in joining a learning cohort can share their contact here.
- Individuals can join Learn4Life’s Literacy Network and help shape the direction of Literacy and Justice for All.
Kim, what a good program this appears to be. Good stuff happening! Keep on Keeping on!
“It’s disheartening to see that only 41% of 3rd graders in Metro Atlanta scored proficient on last year’s English Language Arts exam, highlighting the urgency of addressing the literacy crisis. However, there’s hope in the ongoing efforts to implement evidence-based solutions, such as the science of reading. Our region’s commitment to an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach to early literacy, including providing literacy training for teachers and adults, is a step in the right direction. While we tackle this challenge, it’s essential to explore supplementary resources like the nature-themed learning activities available at https://wunderkiddy.com/activity/color-in-nature, which can complement traditional literacy instruction and engage children in meaningful learning experiences.”