Eric Dregne: Our Kids Need Your Help to Read and Succeed

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Telegraph Herald on Sunday, September 28.

In mid-July, when most kids were savoring the freedom of summer vacation, eight-year-old Kamerreon was in a classroom, learning to read—and loving it. “I like to read to my little sister,” he said with pride.

The ability to read is fundamental to success in school and life. Children who don’t read proficiently by third grade are 13 times more likely not to graduate from high school. Here in Dubuque, 39% of third-grade public school students missed this critical milestone last school year, with low-income children facing the most challenges.

This is why programs like Summer Academy, the summer reading program that sparked Kamerreon’s enthusiasm, is so essential—not just for these kids but for our community and our nation as a whole. Of the nearly 50 kids who participated in the 2013 Summer Academy, 84% maintained or improved their reading proficiency over the summer. Our children’s ability to read proficiently will determine how many of the next generation will be prepared to succeed in a global economy, participate in higher education or enter the military.

The good news is that dozens of partners from nonprofits, business, K-12 schools, higher education, local government and philanthropy are rallying together. Through the Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, they have created a vision, gathered and shared data to support evidence-based decision-making and made significant investments of time and money to sustain the work.

Here are just a few early successes of this collaboration:

• programs like the Summer Academy that improve summer learning especially for low-income students
• effective approaches to improve school attendance
• a partnership between NICC and Dubuque Community Schools to reduce the cost of earning an early childhood education degree   
• distribution of books to low-income students through programs at health centers, after-school and summer programs, and Little Free Libraries
• more than a dozen partners sharing data (available online at www.readdbq.org/report).

This is an incredible start.  But we must do better and our schools cannot do it alone. After-school and summer programs can implement literacy strategies in every program.  As a parent or caregiver, you can read to your children, ensure regular school attendance and encourage participation in summer programs. As a community member, you can support reading and literacy efforts by volunteering, making donations and supporting policy changes.

If you’re ready to help our kids read, I encourage you to learn more about the Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading by looking for the “Dubuque Signs of Promise” insert in today’s TH and by visiting www.readdbq.org.

Eric Dregne is vice president of strategic initiatives at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque.