Last month, Stand was honored to be featured on 12 News Arizona!
Across the state, more and more people are realizing the depth of Arizona’s education crisis, and the important role of reading in early childhood to address it.
Reading at an early age and on grade level are major factors in a child’s development. The literacy skills demanded by work and learning environments are increasingly more complex. And, at the moment, we are unsuccessfully preparing our children to meet that demand.
Arizona continues to rank below the national average when it comes to literacy rates. If you live in this state, you have probably seen firsthand the need for investment in education.
Today, Arizona has the worst teacher pay in the nation (ranked 50th), the most crowded class size in the nation (23.5, compared to the national average of 16), and a school counselor to student ratio of 848 to 1, compared to the national average of 424 to 1 (the recommended ratio is 250 to 1).
Low reading rates across Arizona present a major obstacle for the lives of young students and future economic success for our state. As legislative leaders drag their feet to implement lasting funding solutions, Stand for Children Arizona has jumped into action.
Meanwhile, our organization is going into our sixth year leading the Every Child Reads program.
Every Child Reads (ECR) is a research-based family engagement program that provides a crucial connection between parents and schools to support at-home literacy. The program provides:
- More than 6,400 books for families to keep
- Access to our digital library with multiple languages and an audio function.
- Ongoing support for 30 schools and over 2,600 parents.
- Long term mentorship for parents to grow teaching/learning skills at home and in the community.
Every Child Reads is proving to be a tool that is bringing people together at a time of immense need, and Stand is eager to continue to reach thousands of families and bring even more services to those who need it most.
Often, children with so much potential are overlooked and under-tapped because of their skin color, zip code, first language, or disability.
Our team is determined to change that. Projects like these provide young learners the opportunity to start their elementary school reading at an appropriate level, and w and we are grateful to all of our donors who make this program possible!
We invite you to make a difference with us! Please, make a donation today to our mission and the Every Child Reads program!
