Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

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Suncoast Summer Reading Challenge Blast Off Event

April 2015 – Present

Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

The Purpose

Part of a nationwide movement, the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a communitywide effort to help children from birth through 3rd grade, especially those from asset-limited families, succeed in life by ensuring they read on grade level. The Suncoast region — Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties in Florida — is focused on addressing the most common issues and obstacles that impact a child's ability to read to learn. A brighter future for all children is at the core of the nationwide Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. An effort of more than 390 communities across the country — including the Suncoast region in Florida — to increase early-reading proficiency, the Campaign brings better ways to deliver support and resources to children in need by mobilizing a broad base of stakeholders to improve school readiness, attendance, and summer learning opportunities for children from asset-limited families.

Strengthening the Impact

With the assistance of The Patterson Foundation, strategic resources, including funding endeavors, strengthen the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading along with the statewide Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in Florida. As an anchor funder of the nationwide Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, The Patterson Foundation strengthens the movement by connecting and providing technical assistance, support, and thought partnership at the national, state, and local levels.

THE SUNCOAST SUMMER READING CHALLENGE

THIS BOOK IS COOL! promotes a love of reading by celebrating high-quality children's books. We will begin taking registrations for 2022 THIS BOOK IS COOL! on Monday, March 21.

THIS BOOK IS COOL! is a series of 100 webisodes to encourage a love of reading. It premiered on June 1, 2020, and since then, thousands of children from across the Suncoast region have qualified to receive free books as a gift from The Patterson Foundation. In 2021, 9,192 children participated; combined, they read 182,648 books!

Children who are registered for THIS BOOK IS COOL! will receive:

20 free books
An activity guide with activities and word puzzles that correspond to the books
Regular contact with a Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Engagement Team member
Invitations to family engagement events throughout the summer

SCGLR will distribute books and hand out rewards to qualifying children (grades PreK–3) who are registered and fully participating in THIS BOOK IS COOL!

To maintain an active status in THIS BOOK IS COOL!, parents must submit a weekly total of the number of books their child has read.

*To qualify for THIS BOOK IS COOL!, you must be:

A resident of Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota counties
Entering PreK-3rd grade
Enrolled at a Title I school, eligible for free/reduced lunch, or have other demonstrable need

Remember friends, reading is the key to succeeding!

REGISTER HERE
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE THIS BOOK IS COOL! WEBISODE LIBRARY

SUNCOAST REMAKE LEARNING DAYS

The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading brought Remake Learning Days to Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.

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Suncoast Remake Learning Days, presented by the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading with the support of The Patterson Foundation, consisted of more than 140 events over 10 days hosted by more than 165 organizations, including schools, museums, libraries, after school organizations, early child care centers, universities, media outlets, and more.

All the events were free and designed to be hands-on, relevant, and engaging educational experiences for youth of all ages (PreK through high school) and their families, caregivers, and educators. Suncoast Remake Learning Days gave us all the opportunity to spark learning innovation. This festival was a fun and creative way to establish and affirm parents and families as learning allies.

FAQ's

Click on frequently asked questions below to learn more about this initiative...

Why does The Patterson Foundation support this local initiative?

Across the Suncoast region, in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties, dozens of nonprofits, schools, community organizations, agencies, and individuals are doing meaningful work related to the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. While there will be unique approaches to tackle the needs and challenges of each county, there is much to learn and share together. There are boundary-spanning activities and approaches that benefit all four counties as each works toward helping children learn how to read by the end of third grade — to succeed in school and life. Addressing one of the most critical issues of our time, The Patterson Foundation supports strengthening the efforts of people, organizations, and communities as they come together to increase early literacy and improve the future for all children.

What is the grade-level reading landscape in Charlotte County?

Each county has unique challenges to address, and there are many opportunities to pursue excellence. Based on 2019 FSA scores, 69 percent of Charlotte County students can read on grade level by the end of third grade. Also, 18.3 percent of children under the age of 18 are living in poverty according to the 2017 Florida Kids Count Data.

What is the grade-level reading landscape in DeSoto County?

Each county has unique challenges to address, and there are many opportunities to pursue excellence. Based on 2019 FSA scores, 34 percent of DeSoto County students can read on grade level by the end of third grade. Also, 37.2 percent of children under the age of 18 are living in poverty according to the 2017 Florida Kids Count Data.

What is the grade-level reading landscape in Manatee County?

Each county has unique challenges to address, and there are many opportunities to pursue excellence. Based on 2019 FSA scores, 51 percent of Manatee County students can read on grade level by the end of third grade. Also, 17 percent of children under the age of 18 are living in poverty according to the 2017 Florida Kids Count Data.

What is the grade-level reading landscape in Sarasota County?

Each county has unique challenges to address, and there are many opportunities to pursue excellence. Based on 2019 FSA scores, 70 percent of Sarasota County students can read on grade level by the end of third grade. Also, 14.8 percent of children under the age of 18 are living in poverty according to the 2017 Florida Kids Count Data.

Who is working on the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading?

Lead partners in each community are at the forefront of county-specific initiatives and projects relating to the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading:

Lead Partner in Charlotte County: United Way of Charlotte County
Lead Partner in DeSoto County: United Way Suncoast
Lead Partner in Manatee County: United Way Suncoast
Lead Partner in Sarasota County: Community Foundation of Sarasota County

In addition, there are dozens of nonprofits, schools, community organizations, and individuals are doing meaningful work related to the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.

What is The Patterson Foundation’s role in the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading?

Rather than funding programs, The Patterson Foundation focuses on investing in a regional approach that supports the community-wide vision of success in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.

The Patterson Foundation’s resources support the local coalitions through:

Planning assistance
Sharing national research and best practices with local coalitions
State and national funding
Expert knowledge sharing by bringing in speakers
Fostering community connectivity as Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties seek ways to learn and share together
Communications resources to amplify the work

Does the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading have a grant cycle?

Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading resources (including intellectual capital, support, and funding) focus on the Suncoast CGLR partnership itself, as opposed to any project, study or program. For this reason, the Suncoast CGLR does not have grant cycles or accept proposals. We are committed to sharing and accelerating evidence-based national strategies to bring sustainable change to our region.

How can I make a donation to the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative?

Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading resources—including intellectual capital, support, and funding—focus on the Suncoast CGLR partnership itself, rather than any project/study or program. For this reason, the Suncoast CGLR does not solicit or accept donations. United Way Suncoast, United Way of Charlotte County, and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County stand ready to work with any donors interested in supporting Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota county efforts.

We encourage you to visit The Giving Partner to find an organization doing high-quality work in early learning or literacy. There are dozens of organizations in every county already doing meaningful work that will contribute positively to the solution areas identified by the nationwide campaign. As the campaign progresses, it will continue to harness the passion and enthusiasm of individuals and organizations making a difference through evidence-based work.

How can I volunteer with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative?

When the dangers surrounding the pandemic have subsided, there will be many opportunities to get involved. To stay informed about volunteer opportunities, we encourage you to sign up for the SCGLR newsletter and visit the website's volunteer section to find out about events scheduled near you.

We also encourage you to visit SCGLR's Facebook and Instagram pages, and follow SCGLR on Twitter to stay informed as the campaign develops.

Where can I learn more about the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading?

Please visit gradelevelreadingsuncoast.net for resources and to learn more.

Who can I contact about the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative?

For more information, contact Suncoast CGLR Director Beth Duda: bduda@thepattersonfoundation.org.

Additional FAQ's

Click on frequently asked questions below to learn more about the nationwide Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative...

Why does The Patterson Foundation support the nationwide campaign?

Launched in May 2010, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort by foundations, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states, and communities across the nation to ensure that more children from asset-limited families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career, and active citizenship. The Campaign focuses on an important predictor of school success and high school graduation — grade-level reading by the end of third grade.

Addressing one of the most critical issues of our time, The Patterson Foundation supports strengthening the efforts of people, organizations, and communities as they come together to increase early literacy and improve the future for all children.

Why is early-childhood literacy very important?

The statistics are troubling: 67 percent of children nationwide and more than 80 percent of those from asset-limited families are not proficient readers by the end of third grade.

Research shows that when children — especially those from asset-limited families — fail to read on grade level by the end of third grade they are more likely to drop out of high school and face an array of long-term negative consequences.

This problem will undermine efforts to end intergenerational poverty, close the achievement gap, and reduce high school dropout rates.

How are communities across the country working on this issue?

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading was launched to reverse this potentially catastrophic trend by supporting common-sense solutions at the federal, state, and local levels. Communities employ strategies that address the following solutions:

School Readiness/Early Learning
Attendance
Summer Learning
Family Engagement
Health Determinants

How does the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading benefit communities?

Communities that support the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading understand that an educated community means a stronger future for everyone. It means communities where more people are prepared for higher education and are ready to enter military and civilian service. It means stronger communities prepared to compete in the global economy.

The Campaign brings better ways to deliver support and resources to children in need by mobilizing a broad base of stakeholders to improve school readiness, attendance, and summer learning opportunities for children from asset-limited families.

(total time: 12 minutes 31 seconds)

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