Philly Reading Coaches

PHILLY READING COACHES (PRC) is a new program that combines early reading support, access to books, and community volunteers to boost reading skills for our city’s children. The program works by pairing trained volunteers with young students – kindergarten through 3rd grade, and by providing fun and child-guided reading experiences that help build reading skills and motivation. Each child in the program also receives 25 free books to take home. The Need: Children who can read well by 4th grade have a better chance for high school success. Right now, two out of three Philadelphia students are struggling to reach that crucial goal. The Impact: It sounds simple, doesn’t it? It is simple – but the results are powerful-Studies have shown significant improvement in students’ reading ability with just 60 minutes of one-on-one reading time each week over the course of a school year-Children with 25 books in their home are more likely to complete two more years of school on average than kids with no books at home-Reading comprehension and language skills may improve because children select from a range of books that both mirror and expand their world. A Proven Model: Philly Reading Coaches is based on the SMART program, which has run statewide in Oregon for the past 26 years. To learn more, visit the SMART website and view their theory of change.