LITERACY CRISIS -- THE URGENCY OF NOW
More than 80 percent of third graders in Newark district schools cannot read on grade level. At five district schools, just one third grader passed the state reading exam last Spring. At five other schools, just three third graders passed. Large numbers of young people, both those who are enrolled in school and those who have dropped out or graduated, lack the skills that are critical to their future — the ability to read, write, speak, and think well enough to meet the demands of employment, higher learning, and active citizenship.
Turning this trend around will be a significant challenge; one that urban communities feel the urgency to meet. Improving schools is a critical part of the answer. Helping schools to improve literacy development will require involvement and pressure from all sectors. Supporting students to focus upon and develop the literacy habits and skills they need to be successful will require a multi-pronged concerted effort—one that includes schools, families, community organizations, businesses, policymakers, and youth themselves. It will take engaging, motivating, and supporting multiple stakeholders to simultaneously take action and build upon existing capacities to make literacy development a community-wide priority.
URBAN LEAGUE RESPONSE
We believe in the power of educational equity to overcome systemic racism, poverty and inequities in our society. We are launching a community-wide literacy initiative to mobilize communities to promote literacy. We plan to build a Literacy Center in Newark. The Center will serve as a community hub to promote literacy through direct support for children, families, teachers, and community members.
The Center will be part of a development project, called Fairmount Commons, which is being developed on the site of the former Ambassador Chicken on South Orange Avenue which is next to West Side High School. The project consists of 50 units of affordable housing above a 9,000 square foot ground floor space. We will break ground on the apartments this summer and the Center would open in September 2025. The ground floor space will provide free reading tutoring, interactive writing and theater training. The Center will provide professional development activities in literacy for teachers and parents, as well as advocacy training to leverage laws and policies to strengthen initiatives for literacy development and to hold elected officials accountable.
YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR GALA WILL DIRECTLY FUND THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE LITERACY CENTER.
PLEASE HELP THE URBAN LEAGUE ADDRESS THE URGENCY OF THIS CRISIS!
READING IS A CIVL RIGHT.
