Lattia
Reading Partners
What problem does Reading Partners solve?
Millions of kids across the country are falling behind in reading during the years when it matters most. By fourth grade, students shift from learning to read to reading to learn — and those who haven't caught up face compounding disadvantages in every subject for the rest of their education. Underfunded schools simply don't have the staffing to give struggling readers the individualized attention they need, and the gap keeps widening.
Who benefits from their work?
Elementary students in underserved communities who are reading below grade level, primarily in Title I schools. The organization currently reaches students across multiple regions including Colorado, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York City, North Texas, the Seattle area, South Carolina, Tulsa, the Twin Cities in Minnesota, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.
What makes their approach unique?
Rather than replacing classroom teachers or running a separate tutoring center, Reading Partners works directly inside school buildings during the school day. Trained community volunteers deliver a structured, research-backed curriculum one-on-one with students — not in groups, not over video by default, but face to face at a reading center embedded in the school. The program is grounded in the science of reading, and multiple independent evaluations have shown measurable gains in student literacy skills. They've also built a licensing model called Powered by Reading Partners that lets other organizations adopt the same proven approach in their own communities.
What does a donation accomplish?
Contributions go toward recruiting, training, and supporting volunteer tutors; maintaining reading centers inside partner schools; developing and updating curriculum materials rooted in reading science; and expanding to new regions. The organization has delivered over three million individualized tutoring sessions since launching in 1999 and has engaged more than 100,000 community volunteers nationwide.
Where do they serve?
National — currently operating in Baltimore, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York City, North Texas, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, South Carolina, Tulsa, and Washington D.C., with additional reach through program licensing partnerships.
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