A child's ability to read impacts their ability to succeed. Reading below grade level lowers a child’s chances of completing their education and succeeding and it increases their chances of dropping out of school and being incarcerated.

 

Over 1/3 of our children in the CASD are reading and writing below grade level.

 

  Over half of our children in the CASD come from economically disadvantaged families.  Many of our children are not being exposed to enough words and reading before age 5, when the brain is most malleable. By the time they enter school, they already have an academic disadvantage.  Many families in Coatesville have experienced generational poverty and generational incarceration, which is traumatic for both the family and children and can lead to social and behavioral problems which further affect one’s ability to learn to read.

We know that everyone, on every level has the capacity to support early childhood literacy. No matter who you are, no matter what your story in life is, we know that picking up a book can change it.