Reading Together — Worcester Education Collaborative

3rd grade: A critical milestone

Educational research is unequivocal that proficiency in reading by the end of third grade enables students to shift from learning to read to reading to learn, and to master the more complex subject matter they encounter beginning in the fourth grade. Students who fail to reach this critical milestone are a significantly greater risk of dropping out of school and failing to earn a high school diploma.

Yet, according to research by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and national and state reading assessment data, two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders are not proficient readers. Research by the Children’s Literacy Foundation indicates that 61% of low income families have no age appropriate books in the household. In Worcester’s public schools, where only one in four 3rd graders met proficiency standards on the 2024 English Language Arts MCAS Assessment and where 74% of students are from low-income families, the need for extra help with reading and other literacy skills is particularly urgently needed.

The Worcester Education Collaborative is responding to this crisis with a targeted literacy initiative: Reading Together. This project gives high quality books to children along with tools for their parents and caregivers to support them as they learn to read. Reading Together operates in nine elementary schools and distributes new, high quality, high interest books to children. Each of the books that the children receive over the course of a year is aligned with the grade level curriculum. In addition to reinforcing academic skills and content, the books and related activities support important civic and personal traits such as cooperation, initiative, friendship, respect, and others.

about our signature program

Each school year, the Reading Together program reaches over 1,800 K-3 students across nine Worcester elementary schools. The program distributes over 5,400 carefully selected, high-interest books that foster character, build community, and align with the Worcester Public Schools curriculum.

Reading Together takes a unique, multi-pronged approach to promoting family literacy by inviting parents and caregivers to join students in the classroom four times each year. During these classroom visits:

WEC Reading Assistants model engaging read-aloud techniques and guide students and families through fun, connected literacy activities
Parents and caregivers are provided additional tools and resources for reading in the home, helping to make reading a family event that is fun for everyone.

This proven program consistently sees boosts in students’ English Language Arts attainment, as well as communication and engagement skills. Beyond what we are able to measure, however, is what happens when children who do not have easy access to age appropriate books are given copies of their own. The ideas, dreams and goals that books inspire and the worlds they open can’t necessarily be measured, but they can create an indelible, positive, impact on the children who read them.

Does Reading Together Work?

“Absolutely!
Not just because of the partnerships it creates among schools, the community, children and families. But also because it sends a valuable message to our students and families. Reading is important. People in the community care about you and want you to become a proficient reader. Books are things to be treasured—special enough to be given as a gift—from someone who’s never even met you.

I think of one student from the first year of the program, who was homeless and in and out of shelters. The family was encouraged to take things of value with them during the day so that they wouldn’t get taken (from the shelter) Among the things that this little boy kept in his backpack every day were the books he’d been given through this program. Does that say it all?”

— Kindergarten Teacher

Further Testimonials

“No one ever read to me when I was a kid. But that stops here and now with me. I make sure I read with my child every night before he goes to bed.”

— Parent of a first-grade student

“My daughter made me read her “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” every night for a month. Now she sleeps with it under her pillow.”

— Parent of a kindergarten student

“Last year when my son was in kindergarten I read the books with him every night, so often that he knows them by heart. This year he’s reading those books to his little sister.”

— Mother of a first-grade student

READING Partnerships with youth organizations

As an extension of our Reading Together Program, WEC distributed 13,000+ books towards a successful Reading Together summer program in 2021! In collaboration with 8 partner organizations, students received high-quality books and guided activities to boost their summer reading efforts. We curated book bundles related to STEM, Health & Wellness, School Readiness, English Nonfiction, Spanish Nonfiction. WEC also added a specially selected set of books to support social-emotional development in children. We have continued to run similar summer programs since.