1. Champaign County Children’s Literacy Foundation

2. Why create a Literacy Foundation? Economic Impact
Improves the development of the wider community (begintoread.com)
Literacy can lift individuals out of poverty
As many as 75% of individuals on public assistance are functionally illiterate
Improves the development of the wider community
Greatly improves individual health/healthier individuals
Reduces teen pregnancy rates
Reduces crime rates
Two-thirds of children who can’t read by the end of 4th grade will end up incarcerated or on public assistance
85% of all children involved in the juvenile justice system are functionally illiterate (3rd grade reading level)
Did you know that states use the 3rd grade reading and math proficiency tests to estimate the number of inmates for prisons?

3. Age 0-5 Critically Important for Development
Experiences in these early years establish the foundation for children’s capacity to learn and thrive when they reach school.
Early reading and early math skills have been identified as foundational elements of future learning, and have been linked to both school readiness and future academic success
Early childhood experiences shape language development and are associated with school readiness, early reading success, and effective grade progression
A child’s readiness for school establishes a pathway to later academic achievement

4. Kindergarten readiness data: Champaign County

5. Kindergarten Readiness in Champaign County
On average over 60% of the children entering Kindergarten in Champaign County are not Kindergarten ready

6. The Birth of a Movement 2016 – 2017 School Year Graham Local Schools
United Way Partnership Established
Community Connectors Grant
Community Partners
Establish Focused Literacy Goals
Make early childhood literacy a community focus
Increase 3rd grade reading scores
Increase kindergarten readiness scores
Books into the hands of preschool aged children

7. The Graham Story Coordinator ESC Facilitator Develop Strategic Plan
Engage volunteers/service organizations & churches
Train volunteers
Designed Mentor curriculum
Establish protocol in schools
ESC Facilitator
Development of coordinator position
Fiscal oversight of Community Connectors Grant
Hired Coordinator to ESC Staff

8. The Graham Story Hosted Family Literacy Nights
Bingo for Books/STEAM family challenge
Community Engagement through book giveaways & events
St. Paris Community Christmas in the village
YMCA Healthy Kids Day
Speaking Engagements
Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Expo Event
Trained group of Urbana University Faculty
Trained YMCA Before and After Care Staff
Hosted “Write” to Read Week activities
Developed Mentor Curriculum
Trained, Managed and Evaluated Mentors
Established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program within District

9. The Foundation Today 2017-2018 Schools Initial Underwriter
Enhanced Community Partner Network
Diversified Funding
Host Family Literacy Nights in all 5 districts as an add-on to existing parent nights
Community Engagement through book giveaways & events
Social Media Presence
Speaking Engagements
Service Organizations, Churches etc.
Establish Mentor Curriculum in all 5 schools in district
Train, Manage and Evaluate Mentors
Fundraise for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program within District
Plan/Organize Large Fundraiser Event

10. Community Partnerships
United Way
Madison-Champaign ESC
All 5 Schools in Champaign County District
Urbana City Schools
Graham Local Schools
Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools
Triad Local Schools
West Liberty Salem Schools
YMCA
Urbana University
Champaign County Chamber of Commerce
Champaign Economic Partnership
Mental Health Drug & Alcohol Services Board of Logan & Champaign Counties
Champaign County Library

11. Components of the Foundation
Mentoring
40 Developmental Assets
DPIL
Literacy Research
KRN

12. Mentoring Program Based at every elementary school in Champaign County
Grades 4 and 5
Focused on 40 Developmental Assets
Asset building directly correlates to literacy and community development
Mentors –back ground check/fingerprinted
30 trained mentors

13. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Puts age appropriate books in the home of children ages 0-5
Inspires a love of reading
Promotes family bonding
Children enrolled in DPIL:
28% increase in children ready for Kindergarten
Score 23% higher on 3rd grade reading and math testing
Parents who are illiterate show stronger efforts to find resources to learn/become literate

14. Kids Read Now Graham Story
Graham Elementary had 65% of the K-3 population enrolled (388 students)
30% of the students enrolled completed the program (116 students)
76% of students read and reported at least 1 book
93% of parents would recommend the program
83% of parents say their child is reading more because of the program

15. Kids Read Now Highlights Mechanicsburg
Generates excitement around reading
Addresses summer slide for all kids
Puts books in the hands of kids
Provides districts with data throughout the process
Supports our balanced literacy framework at a low cost
On Boarding process is fairly easy and is well supported
88% of students enrolled in the 1st year
63% of students reported books read
83% of parents reported increased reading

16. Tips and Tricks for Implementation Mechanicsburg
Consider what to do for students that are not enrolled - we sent home book baggies
Explore auto enrollment of students in the future
Plan frequent school reminders throughout the summer via various social media outlets
Host summer events that provide opportunities to read and report books
Visit classrooms to generate excited around the program
Use organizations in the community to support reporting (PTO, Library, Churches)
Incentivize participation individually and as grade levels
Use social media to celebrate along the way
Monitor participation data throughout the process

17. The Foundation’s Next Chapter
Multi-county Implementation
Madison & Clark Counties
Diversified funding
Long term efficacy tracking
Year over year

18. Contact Dr. Dan Kaffenbarger, Superintendent Madison-Champaign ESC
Jennifer Harvey, Coordinator Champaign County Children’s Literacy Foundation
Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools
Kirk Koennecke, Superintendent Graham Local Schools

19. Kids Read Now
Kevin Sorice