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News from Reach Out and Read Washington State
In This Issue
Legislators Work Through Tough Budget
Kindergartners and 3rd Graders Lack Needed Literacy Skills
ROR Supports Early Literacy Birth Through Third Grade
ROR Addresses the Opportunity Gap
Partnering with Health Systems and Philanthropy
Follow Us on Facebook
About Us
Support Reach Out and Read in Washington

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JANUARY 2012

Greetings!

 

If you want to move people, it has to be toward a vision that's positive for them, that taps important values, that gets them something they desire, and it has to be presented in a compelling way that they feel inspired to follow.  --Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

This quote has been pinned above my computer at home for years, and I frequently reflect on what this means for the work I do, the work of everyone on the Reach Out and Read team, and the work of all of us who are this path to support young children and families. The sentiment seems very relevant as we strive to change our world to improve the lives of children, recognizing that we can only do this by "moving people toward a vision."

 

So how are we doing with Early Literacy in Washington State?  It turns out, not so well.

  • 28% of Washington students are not reading proficiently by 3rd grade (OSPI 2011), with much higher numbers for children of color and those in low-income families
  • 55% of Washington entering kindergartners do not have the language and literacy skills they need (WaKIDS 2011)

But the good news is that doctors can help change these statistics; and families want their guidance. 69% of Washington parents want information about supporting reading, and parents trust early learning information from health care providers more than any other source (DEL 2008). At Reach Out and Read, we share Washington's vision of an early learning system that "partners with families to ensure that every child is healthy, capable and confident in school and in life."  That is why we engage doctors and the health care system to play a critical role in supporting parents as their child's first teacher. Our work directly supports children and families, with a vision that all young children in Washington have books at home, and families who support their language and literacy development from birth. And we have an evidence-based program that is proven to help accomplish this.  At the same time, we do our work with a systems approach that is aligned with early learning and education, helping move Washington to improved educational outcomes for children.

 

As we come out of a terrible winter storm, and the legislature is in the midst of deciding what to cut, it is a very challenging time to keep the vision moving forward. But move forward we must, and we can!  We're taking a bit of a different approach in this newsletter, including information to help show what the needs are, and how Reach Out and Read is helping to address them.  We hope this inspires you to continue to support our work, and to contact your legislators.  Reach Out and Read-and the children and families we serve-appreciate, and need, your support more than ever!

 

Jill Sells, MD and the Reach Out and Read Washington Team

 

....because Reading Is Doctor-Recommended 

 

LEGISLATORS BRAVE THE SNOW TO WORK THROUGH TOUGH BUDGET CHOICES

Olympia in the Snow 

Please urge legislators to fund Reach Out and Read. There is no doubt about it--there is a chill in the air in Olympia as legislators grapple with the budget. Governor Gregoire proposed complete elimination of Reach Out and Read's state funding in her budget this fall, and we are happy that the legislature did not implement this cut during the special session.  However, we are very concerned about the devastating cuts that will still happen this session, and particularly their impact on children and families. The "collective toll" of the cuts over time is immense. In early literacy, an account which once held $3 million state dollars is empty, with the only remaining early literacy line item in DEL's budget being $300,000 for Reach Out and Read. 

 

We thank the Early Learning Action Alliance and the Washington Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics for their support this legislative session.

 

Please contact your legislators now to urge continued funding for Reach Out and Read in the Department of Early Learning's budget.  This tiny investment is vital to our ability to continue to serve over 81,000 children and families. See our one pager for information you can share with your legislators.  Thank you!

 

NEITHER KINDERGARTNERS NOR 3RD GRADERS DEMONSTRATE NEEDED LITERACY SKILLS 

 

3rd Grade Reading Graph Larged

 

27% of Washington 3rd graders do not read proficiently, and the achievement gap is striking. The phrase "raise the bar, close the gap" is increasingly being used to describe the need for substantial improvements in educational outcomes in our state. Nearly half of children entering kindergarten have language, literacy and communication skills that are below grade level, and literacy preparedness is lower for children in lower-income homes (WaKIDS, 2010-11 school year). 

 

This graph depicts OSPI data showing the significance of the problem in elementary school. More than one in four 3rd grade students are behind in reading; with much higher percentages of children not meeting state standards within key demographic groups: 38-44% for children of color, 38% of children in low-income families, and 63% of English language learners.   Third grade is often referred to as the time when kids move from "learning to read, to reading to learn." The inability to read well has lifelong consequences, increasing significantly the chances a child will not graduate from high school. Clearly we must acknowledge and intentionally address the significant disparities that exist among children in this state.  But we must also recognize that reading challenges are a community and statewide issue, requiring strategies which improve outcomes for a broad population of children across the state. 

 

REACH OUT AND READ SUPPORTS EARLY LITERACY FROM BIRTH THROUGH 3RD GRADE 

 

Parents and the early language environment are vital to children's future skills. Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based program where doctors support parents as their child's first teacher, starting in infancy and continuing through age 5 years. Parents and doctors are often the main consistent figures in children's lives, and thus are in a unique position to support children's early learning over time. Over 800 medical providers are now serving more than 81,000 children and their families through 129 programs across the state!  Collectively our programs serve mostly low-income families, many of whom are English language learners, with a significant presence in tribal communities and rural areas where families are often not receiving other parenting and early learning supports. The following is a brief outline of data showing the connection between the early childhood home language environment, reading success in school, and Reach Out and Read's impact on parents and children.  

 

Language differences are measurable in infancy, and children's vocabulary skills before they enter school are related to their socio-economic status. Children growing up in poverty are exposed to less language, and this is reflected in their vocabulary skills before school entry. Children growing up in poverty, children of color, and children in non-English-speaking households are less likely to be read to at home. By age 3, children in low-income families will have heard 30 million fewer words than their peers from the highest income groups (Hart B, Risley TR, 1995). More recent data shows that disparities in language development are measurable as young as 9 months of age (Child Trends, 2009). To address the opportunity and achievement gaps in our educational system, Washington state must start supporting parents and children in infancy.

 

Reading deficits in elementary school do not improve in later school years. Poor first-grade readers almost invariably remain poor readers by the end of 4th grade. Low-achieving students (with reading scores below 25th%) and students with reading disabilities generally do not catch up.  A longitudinal study of readers from elementary school through 12th grade showed that poor readers in elementary school never caught up and that the poor readers showed little improvement by 12th grade (Juel 1988, Francis et al 1996, Shaywitz et al 1999). To improve 3rd grade reading proficiency and subsequent high school graduation rates in Washington state, we must improve early literacy and school readiness skills.

 

Reach Out and Read improves the home language environment and children's language skills. Reach Out and Read significantly and positively influences the literacy environment of young children living in poverty. When families participate in Reach Out and Read, parents read more to their children, parents and children have more positive attitudes toward reading aloud, and children have improved language development (Needlman et al., 1991; High et al, 2000; Mendelsohn et al, 2001).  Reach Out and Read is a proven and highly scalable program which helps improve early literacy skills for children across Washington state by supporting parents as their child's first teacher, and is an important part of Washington state's early learning system.

 

REACH OUT AND READ ADDRESSES THE OPPORTUNITY GAP
Reach Out and Read has a special focus on serving children who are living in poverty or who are otherwise at risk for poor educational outcomes. The first Reach Out and Read program was started in 1989 as a partnership between pediatricians and early childhood educators, who recognized that many young children lacked books at home. Since then, Reach Out and Read has grown to over 4,700 programs, serving more than one third of all children living in poverty in the U.S. We also have special initiatives that support Native American, Spanish-speaking, and military families, and families of children with disabilities.

 

In Washington state we are serving a very diverse population, including many of the children and families about whom we are most concerned for poor educational outcomes. We are serving over 81,000 children in 129 medical clinics in rural, suburban, and urban communities in 29 of Washington's 39 counties. About 90% of the children we serve live in low-income families. Our more than 800 Reach Out and Read medical providers provide care for some of the most vulnerable children in Washington state. Our programs in 52 community health centers serve low-income and diverse families; with 22 serving predominately Spanish-speaking families. We support 16 tribal clinics, both coastal and inland. Families served in our 5 military clinics are culturally diverse, and many are young parents with limited income and/or education.  Finally, since the program is in the medical setting, most of our providers serve children with special health care needs. 

 

As we grow, Reach Out and Read deliberately seeks to expand in the areas of greatest need.  About half of all births in the state are to Medicaid-eligible families. Therefore, when looking at either school readiness or levels of poverty, at least 50% of the state's children and families need support around early literacy. Reach Out and Read works with communities to identify children and families who would most benefit from Reach Out and Read, and to implement and sustain programs to meet their needs. 
 
PARTNERING WITH HEALTH SYSTEMS AND PHILANTHROPY
 
Group Health, Dr Frederick Kassab
Dr. Frederick Kassab with a patient. Photo courtesy of Group Health Foundation.

Group Health Foundation highlights Reach Out and Read. The Reach Out and Read program at Group Health Northgate pediatric clinic is one of the oldest in the state, started in 1999!  In partnership with Reach Out and Read, Group Health has recently launched new programs at their clinics in Port Orchard, Rainier, and Tacoma South.  We were delighted to see the story Group Health Pediatricians Prescribe Good Books. We appreciate the Group Health Foundation's support for Reach Out and Read, and the dedication of participating Group Health providers.  

 

"Sometimes other docs are surprised that we're handing out books to our patients," says Dr. Kassab. "But for us, it's just part of the well-child visit. We always talk with kids and their parents about what they're reading. Promoting literacy has gotten to be part of our psyche."

 

"Reading aloud helps children start recognizing words as language. It suggests that symbols come together to make words, it helps them learn letters and pronunciation; it encourages bonding between parent and child. Eventually it fosters an important love affair with reading." --Frederick Kassab, MD

 

REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE ON FACEBOOK

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Reach Out and Read Washington State is on Facebook.  Please LIKE us.  If you could also suggest our Facebook page to your friends, that would go a long way in helping us spread our message about early literacy - thanks! 

ABOUT REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE
 

Reach Out and Read helps prepare children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together.  Our evidence-based, proven program leverages the volunteer time of doctors to make literacy a standard part of well-child visits. Reach Out and Read supports parents as their child's first teacher. Through 129 programs in 29 counties, over 800 medical providers serve more than 81,000 children and families.

Founded in 2007, Reach Out and Read Washington State supports programs across the state.  We are part of the national, evidence-based Reach Out and Read Program, founded in 1989.
  


CONTACT INFORMATION:

Email - [email protected]

Telephone - 206-524-3579
Fax - 206-524-4768
  

Address - 155 NE 100th Street - Suite 301, Seattle WA 98125