"The greatest inequality in America is not in wealth but the even greater gap of opportunity."  

-- Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

September means back-to-school. For many kids it is a time of mixed feelings, perhaps sadness at the end of the summer, coupled with excitement about reuniting with friends. Some look forward to learning with excitement. Others bring a sense of trepidation about what's ahead. Our kids like school, and I know that we're privileged to live in circumstances that made it likely that would be the case. Despite this, my 13-year old has been nervous about multiple oral presentations she's had to do this fall. During one, they had to read aloud from a book of their choice. Without any prompting from me, she relaxed when she realized she could do a children's book. She discovered that reading the familiar story of Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? would feel comfortable to her. That struck me as a very direct example of how our reading with her as a young child increased both her literacy skills and her social-emotional skills--the confidence to face an unfamiliar task in middle school. But what about the kids who never had this experience to draw on?

The phrase "opportunity gap" has become commonplace among those working in early learning. It recognizes that the achievement gaps we see in 3rd grade reading proficiency, and in high school graduation rates, are almost always connected with opportunity gaps that happened well before kindergarten. It doesn't take advanced math skills to draw 2 lines with one aiming slightly higher than the other--and see how the gap between them grows over time. It's quite simple --change the angle so the lines have the same slope--and then make them start at the same place--and guess what--they end in the same place! The geometric principle here is easy to visualize. Committing to equity and helping all children succeed is the bigger challenge we must face.

One of the most important things that this great state of Washington, heralded as a leader in Early Learning, has "yet to do," is to truly invest in parents and very young children. This must be part of a continuum of supports from birth through kindergarten, and it must become the social norm. Reach Out and Read is an incredibly efficient, evidence-based "two generation" strategy. It builds on the health care infrastructure and uses doctors as trusted messengers to help parents learn valuable skills that in turn improve outcomes for kids.

We are excited about attention toward Reach Out and Read from PBS, the New York Times, Univision and the Carle Awards. They all recognize the power of parents, and the impact doctors can have on the opportunity gap when they support families. We are also very grateful for community-based support for Reach Out and Read, most recently from the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.

As we head into a very tough legislative session, funding for Reach Out and Read is proposed to be eliminated. If that happens, the network of 1,400 medical providers across Washington who implement the program will not have the supports to keep doing so. These doctors are part of the solution--particularly for the children most likely to experience the opportunity gap. We ask you to make your support visible as we move forward this fall and winter. 

Jill Sells MD and the Reach Out and Read Washington Team

A PATH AWAY FROM POVERTY

Tacoma station KBTC focuses on Early Learning, including Reach Out and Read. September 27th was the 3rd annual American Graduate Day on PBS. This live national, multi-platform broadcast event focuses on the individuals and organizations working in communities across the country to keep students on the path to graduation. Local stations had the option of running the national feed live, and KBTC had the special opportunity to add in local pieces, and customize the order of the national feed.

CARLE AWARD GIVEN TO REACH OUT AND READ

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS REACH OUT AND READ

REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE ON FACEBOOK

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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 influence of children's doctors and makes literacy a standard part of well-child checkups from ages 6 months through 5 years. Reach Out and Read supports parents as their child's first teacher and helps children be ready for kindergarten. 

Through 169 programs in 31 counties, 1,400 medical providers serve an estimated 100,000 children and their families across Washington. Reach Out and Read Washington State is a Regional Office of Reach Out and Read, Inc., a national not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization.