71 percent of 3rd graders in Shelby County Schools read below grade level. It’s an issue that only intensified during the COVID pandemic.
This week, educators and librarians across the country observe Read Across America Day. March 2nd is an excellent day to donate books, volunteer to tutor, or sign up for a library card. It’s also a great time to recognize efforts happening in our community to help kids become better readers.
In response to COVID, the nonprofit Literacy Mid-South distributed 70,000 brand-new books to underserved families and helped create reading hubs at partner organizations across the city.
The team at Literacy Mid-South knows that no single organization is going to get us to a hundred percent literacy rate. Which is why it works in collaboration with a community-wide network of school districts, businesses, and other nonprofits to serve students.
They meet monthly, share best practices, and recognize that only TOGETHER can they ensure progress is made on their collective goal to improve literacy.