Education

 

 

 

 

Readiness to succeed in school means that children enter kindergarten developmentally on track in the areas of literacy and in social, emotional and cognitive skills. One way to track pre-literacy and cognitive skills is by looking at the percentage of children ages 3 to 5 who have all or most of four commonly recognized school readiness skills (recognizing their letters, counting to 20 or higher, writing their names and reading or pretending to read). Data from the National Household Education Survey show less than 40 percent of kids enter school with the skills needed to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Those without these skills—the majority of young children—are starting school already at a disadvantage.

 

Our Partners: Ballard Community Services, Child Care Aware, Community Children's Center, Positive Bright Start, and Success by 6

 

Academic achievement means elementary-age students are prepared to succeed in later grades and to graduate from high school. If children are reading at grade level in fourth grade, they have a much better chance of handling more complex assignments in later grades. And if they are doing well, the chances are better, too, that they feel confident they can handle middle and high school classes. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress less than one-third of the nation’s fourth graders are rated “proficient” in reading.

 

Our Partners: Communities in Schools

 

Young adults, age 18-24, are making a successful transition from high school to the working world. They may be in college, in a training program or working, acquiring the experience they need to succeed. The U.S. Census Bureau shows that more than 1 in 7 adults between 18-24 are neither working nor attending school, even part time. When they fall between the cracks, our country suffers the consequences.

 

Our Partners: Big Brothers Big Sisters and Independence Inc.