Read by 4th is a citywide effort of organizations, public and private, large and small, convened and managed by the Free Library of Philadelphia, aiming to significantly increase the number of students in Philadelphia entering the 4th grade at reading level by 2020.The largest effort of its kind in the city of Philadelphia, this initiative attempts to tackle the literacy crisis in our city. Currently, approximately two-thirds of Philadelphia students cannot read at grade level by 4th grade. On-track literacy is an important indicator of a child’s future academic and professional success, and the inability to read at grade level by the fourth grade is correlated to higher rates of dropping out of school, risky behavior, and incarceration later in life.
Read by 4th’s comprehensive strategy includes:
Empowering parents and caregivers to support their children’s language development and expanding access to high-quality early learning.
Expanding access to summer and out-of-school learning opportunities.
Ensuring students attend school every day, on time.
Equipping schools to provide evidence-based literacy instruction.
For more information and resources, visit readby4th.org