G ROWING H EALTHY R EADERS 1

The Growing Healthy Readers Initiative Formed in 2012 to research and highlight the health-learning connection Health is a critical factor in early learning, attendance and summer learning Supports for low-income children are essential to overcoming health disparities 2

Children enter kindergarten with undetected, and untreated vision, hearing and other developmental delays that impact success. Children miss school due to health issues that are manageable such as asthma or preventable like tooth decay. Children experience the summer as a high- risk period with challenges to good nutrition, fitness and learning. Why Focus on Health?

What are the Health Determinants of Early School Success? Prenatal Care and Infant Development Comprehensive Screenings, Follow-Up and Early Intervention Social-Emotional Development Oral Health Asthma Management Nutrition and Physical Activity 4

5

As young children develop, their early emotional experiences literally become embedded in the architecture of their brains.

Developmental screening is a quick, accurate way to identify whether or not infants, toddlers, and young children are growing and learning on track in the following areas: Communication Fine and gross motor skills Social and emotional behavior Self help Early reading and math skills What is Developmental Screening? 7

Many developmental delays can be addressed prior to school entry. Children with undiagnosed delays or disabilities start school behind their peers. Children from low income households have higher rates of delays. Why is Developmental Screening Important to Learning and Grade-Level Reading? 8

Why Focus on the Health Determinants? Fewer children entering kindergarten with undetected, undiagnosed and untreated vision, hearing and other health impairments and developmental delays that can impede success. Fewer children missing school and having their learning interrupted and disrupted by manageable health challenges such as asthma and preventable ones such as tooth decay. Fewer children experiencing the summer months as a high-risk period filled with major challenges to good nutrition, fitness and learning. 9

Resource Guides

Are You Engaged with Health partners? Not at this time, we haven’t considered it We know who the health partners are in our community but haven’t connected with them We have had some early discussions with health partners Health partners are actively engaged in our coalition

Do you have health strategies in your CSAP? We haven’t considered health strategies We know health is important but haven’t started We have just started to identify health strategies We have health strategies as an active part of our CSAP

What kind of support is most useful? Written materials like the Resource Guides Drop in discussion forum Learning from peers who are working with health partners Learning about effective models from experts Individualized support for my community

Support from the Healthy Readers Team Resource Guides Supporting peer to peer connections on the Huddle Available for online and telephone support 16

Please share your feedback and let us know how we can help. Becky Miles-Polka Senior Consultant The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading