Literacy across the community
Kids spend 80% of their waking hours outside of school. Improving literacy cannot just be about supporting children at home and in school. The community, where children find educational supports and enrichment, is an important but diverse setting in which many people are working to improve literacy.
Literacy across the community
Kids spend 80% of their waking hours outside of school. Improving literacy cannot just be about supporting children at home and in school. The community, where children find educational supports and enrichment, is an important but diverse setting in which many people are working to improve literacy.
Together, we can ensure that our youngest readers and writers are growing in their out-of-school time programs, religious services, library and museum visits, and wherever else they find themselves.
Here's what Chattanooga 2.0 and community organizations are doing to support literacy aross the community.
Strategy
high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring
Lead Organizations: Hamilton County Schools and Chattanooga 2.0
Even with great teaching, some children will still struggle to learn to read in elementary school. Many out-of-school time providers have rallied to provide high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring in early literacy using curriculum developed by Hamilton County Schools. If you want to expand access to high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring in your afterschool or summer program, reach out to learn more about the design principles you should integrate into your model and consider joining the Out-of-School Time Alliance to partner with Hamilton County Schools and other direct service providers in Hamilton County
Strategy
public and community library children's programming
Lead Organizations: Chattanooga Public Library, Collegedale Public Library, East Ridge City Library, Soddy Daisy Community Library
Access to literacy resources and programming outside of homes and schools is essential for fostering a lifelong love of reading and learning among children and families. From storytimes to book recommendations to summer reading programs, public and community libraries across Hamilton County serve as vibrant hubs to promote literacy. If you are a city of Chattanooga resident or your child is a Head Start or Hamilton County Schools student, sign up for a free library card from the Chattanooga Public Library or check out the libraries in Collegedale, East Ridge, and Soddy Daisy.
Strategy
Out-of-school time literacy toolkit and training
Lead Organization: chattanooga 2.0
Out-of-school time providers aspire to support children’s literacy but often lack the time, money, curriculum, and expertise to do so. Chattanooga 2.0 has developed a literacy toolkit and training for out-of-school time staff that is not only directly aligned with Hamilton County Schools’ curriculum but also right sized for the unique and engaging programming that kids enjoy after school. Reach out if you would like to bring this toolkit to your out-of-school time program.
Strategy
faith leader literacy training
Lead Organization: chattanooga 2.0
Our community’s faith leaders are trusted guides and informal educators for families; however, many do not have the expertise to support children’s emergent and early literacy. We have developed a training session that will equip faith leaders with tools and insights to seamlessly integrate literacy into their existing programs for children and families while also providing them with the opportunity to consider other ways they can support literacy throughout the community. Reach out if you would like to schedule a training.
Strategy
community literacy champions
Lead Organization: chattanooga 2.0
Literacy is not just the school district’s responsibility; business leaders, healthcare providers, informal educators, public officials, and community members all have parts to play. To that end, Chattanooga 2.0 is actively engaging with the community to educate leaders and spark discussions on how stakeholders can champion and lead efforts to ensure 70% of our third- through fifth- grade children are reading and writing on grade level by 2030. Reach out if you would like to host a meeting on this vital topic.
Chattanooga 2.0 has an Early Childhood Action Plan that outlines strategies from birth to age 8 that will impact literacy and child brain development. Some of those strategies are listed above because of their explicit tie to early literacy skills. To learn more about the plan, visit www.chatt2.org/brightstart.