Fostering Literacy Development From Birth to Third Grade in Rural America: A Longitudinal Comparative Analysis

• In Event: Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Evaluating Programs and Practices That Foster Literacy and Language Development

Abstract

Children in rural communities most often live in poverty and lack access to high-quality services, including for literacy development. To address this shortfall, a longitudinal program continuum to achieve reading success by third grade is implemented beginning at birth in poor rural communities. Preliminary comparative analyses, with a sample of 77,129, confirm the importance of longitudinal programming; children who participated in both early childhood and school-age programs were more likely to achieve significant gains in reading proficiency compared to those who participated in only one or the other and students in supported schools who participated in neither program. These results indicate a strong need for programs supporting literacy development starting at birth, sustained by consistent funding and strong partnerships.

Authors

• Melanie Yahner, Save the Children

• Cara A. Schrack, Save the Children

• Judith Jerald, Save the Children

• Deborah Brown, Brown Buckley Tucker

• Katie Nazar, Save the Children

• Andrea Palmiter

• Julie Meredith, Policy Studies Associates, Inc.

• Barbara Lunnemann, Save the Children