| Literacy is a problem across the nation; and with the | | | | Within the Boston schools, ReadBoston breaks into |
| influx of many poorly educated immigrants, the | | | | four separate yet cohesive programs -- the Family |
| problem is only getting worse. The city of Boston | | | | Literacy Project, Reading Is Fundamental, the |
| has done something about it, and partners with the | | | | After-School Project, and the Families And Books |
| Boston schools for one phase of its implementation. | | | | program. |
| In 1995, Mayor Thomas M. Menino founded the | | | | Family Literacy Project:o Encourages family |
| ReadBoston project to address the low literacy levels | | | | involvement in children's literacy;o Sets up home |
| of the city's youth. The project's goal is to have all | | | | lending libraries and provide the books in Boston |
| children in Boston schools reading on grade level by | | | | schools elementary classrooms to take books home |
| the completion of third grade. | | | | to read with their families;o Promotes twice yearly |
| ReadBoston targets children both before they enter | | | | parent-teacher conferences with an emphasis on |
| Boston schools kindergarten and throughout | | | | literacy; ando Provides teacher training and support |
| elementary school. After school programs and | | | | to help each of the Boston schools incorporate the |
| summer activities extend the campaign to ensure | | | | program into their existing curriculum. |
| Boston's youth can read. | | | | There are currently 21 elementary level Boston |
| Preschool Years | | | | schools participating in the ReadBoston program. |
| Before entering the Boston schools, ReadBoston | | | | They hope to eventually expand to every |
| partners with childcare centers, providing materials | | | | elementary school in the city. |
| and training to help the centers establish and | | | | Reading Is Fundamental (RIF):o Provides three free |
| encourage home reading programs for the children | | | | books each year to participating students to create a |
| who attend the centers. They also work with | | | | home library of their own; ando Develops fun |
| daycare teachers to improve their literacy teaching | | | | activities to encourage reading as a worthy pastime |
| skills. | | | | for the children. |
| ReadBoston has two main programs under the early | | | | Each year ReadBoston gives three books to over |
| years literacy campaign -- Early Literacy Links and | | | | 15,000 students within the Boston schools through |
| The Reading Trail. | | | | the RIF program. |
| Early Literacy Links reinforces ReadBoston's focus on | | | | The After-School Project integrates literacy into the |
| the importance of early literacy by promoting more | | | | Boston schools' after-school programs. Literacy |
| effective reading instruction through teacher training. | | | | specialists promote literacy instruction by providing |
| Three literacy specialists and one resource librarian | | | | literacy training, advice and books to increase literacy |
| focus their efforts in a small number of childcare | | | | instruction and reading within the after-school arena. |
| centers to help train teachers and daycare providers. | | | | Families And Books reach children during the |
| Their focus is how to best prepare young children to | | | | off-school summer months, using two Storymobiles |
| become able readers. | | | | that visit 40 neighborhood sites each week during |
| The Reading Trail promotes family involvement in the | | | | July and August. Each Storymobile provide fun |
| literacy development of their children. Home lending | | | | storytellings for children, who also can take books to |
| libraries are established and maintained in childcare | | | | read at home. The two Storymobiles together carry |
| centers across the city to encourage children to read, | | | | over 10,000 books that may be checked out by the |
| to have a family member read to them, to visit the | | | | children. |
| library, and to use individual "trail guides" to record the | | | | In addition to the involvement of the Boston schools, |
| books they read. As the children reach milestones | | | | a wide array of community members have joined the |
| along the "trail", they are given books and other | | | | ReadBoston campaign -- foundations, corporations, |
| reading incentives. Additionally, centers participating in | | | | community groups, and individuals. They provide both |
| The Reading Trail receive books to establish libraries | | | | funding and volunteerism. The community-sponsored |
| and training on how to integrate family reading | | | | book drives have garnered over 500,000 new books |
| activities into their current curriculum. | | | | for the ReadBoston program, and over 1,700 tutors |
| Boston Schools | | | | volunteer each week to help children learn to read -- |
| Once children reach the elementary level within the | | | | working in the childcare centers, the Boston schools |
| Boston schools, ReadBoston is there to welcome | | | | classrooms, and the after-school programs. Boston |
| them and assist the Boston schools to foster literacy | | | | and its community are serious about literacy for the |
| home-school connections. | | | | city's children. |