About
NC READS
The Vision
Every child reads well by grade 3
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NC READS believes that learning to read begins at birth.
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NC READS believes that parents and families can become literacy champions for their children.
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NC READS believes our community must have an absolute commitment and resolve that every child will learn to read by grade 3
NC READS will support families and collaboratively work with public and private partners throughout our community to achieve this vision.
The BIG Why!
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Reading unlocks opportunity in school and life.
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Reading enables economic mobility.
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Reading enables learning higher level skills.
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Reading enables choices.
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Reading is a right!
Our Goal:
Change the trajectory of reading skills acquisition in low income families so children arrive at school ready for kindergarten, on par with their classmates, able to achieve academic growth, and able to demonstrate reading proficiency at third grade.
Our Core Values:
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All children do learn.
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Every child reading at grade-level is reasonable & attainable.
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Inquisitiveness. Creativity. Boldness & Accountability.
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The "Last Three Feet"
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Unrelenting commitment to Results & Culture Change for birth to 9-year-old children who are under-resourced and not reading at grade-level.
Our
Impact
NC READS will focus in areas where issues of poverty, low levels of education, language barriers, and a lack of interest in reading are prevalent. NC READS will:
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Leverage and enhance existing trust relationships to equip parents and caregivers as literacy champions in every child’s home.
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Advocate for literacy-rich homes for children living in poverty.
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In the defined audience demonstrate gains in pre-reading skills and attitudes.
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Elevate community commitments to assure every child becomes a reader.
Your
Opportunity
Join with us to change the lives of children and their futures.
The unique strength of NC READS is our focus on developing reading skills... starting at birth. When children show up to school ready for kindergarten, they will be headed for reading success by third grade. Our work will engage parents in developing the skills infants and young children need so they become proficient readers in elementary school. To accomplish this focused goal, we will practice intentional collaboration and community awareness campaigns.
The Process
NC READS seeks to support families for better literacy outcomes and will structure its program to deliver maximum benefit for these parents and children through reliance in three overarching principles:
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Leveraging – not fighting – human nature (children lead; parents want great outcomes)
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Making this easy
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Supporting long-term change
The support and active participation of parents is essential in early learning, particularly through creating literacy-rich home environments, such as having books in the home. Children of parents who have little knowledge of the importance of literacy or the experience of how to create a literacy-rich home are at much greater risk of lower literacy skills. Inadequate literacy skills negatively impacts school performance and, ultimately, reduces family stability, earnings potential, even longevity.
NC READS will encourage parents and caregivers to engage their children in the warm, nurturing, and stimulating interactions needed to promote healthy development. Daily reading, interactive play, back-and-forth talking, and singing together supports early development. Positive parent-child interactions shape brain architecture and provide the positive stimulations children need.
Based on the best available research, NC READS will leverage existing services and organizations to, beginning at birth, improve early brain development and the acquisition of pre-reading skills, and support emerging readers as they prepare for kindergarten.
Challenge
In 2023 in Wake County, only one of every three economically disadvantaged third graders read at grade level.
Our public schools are filled with dedicated teachers who work tirelessly and creatively to teach every student to read. But when children show up to kindergarten as much as two years behind, the current structure is not able to meet their needs. Even with universal access to pre-K programs, too many children arrive at the kindergarten door one to two years behind their peers.
According to Professor James J Heckman author of The Heckman Equation…
“The highest rate of return in early childhood development comes from investing as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families. Starting at age three or four is too little too late, as it fails to recognize that skills beget skills in a complementary and dynamic way. Efforts should focus on the first years for the greatest efficiency and effectiveness. The best investment is in quality early childhood development from birth to five for disadvantaged children and their families.”
Seeking to impact the “readiness” factors for low income and vulnerable children, NC READS leaders have researched and identified strategies that equip parents and families with simple and effective, no-cost tools that encourage richer and more frequent positive interactions with their infants and toddlers. NC READS leaders believe that the foundation for lifelong learning is built during the early years - birth to three - of preschool learning.
The trajectory of children who receive simple nurturing interactions with adults—such as talking, singing, playing and reading just a few minutes a day—is dramatically improved. By simply narrating what an adult is doing—washing their hands, stirring a pot, adding pepper to a recipe, folding laundry, talking about colors—parents and caregivers will build the very young brains of their infants and toddlers.