Connecticut becomes the first state recognized as a 'pacesetter' in childhood literacy
Hartford-Connecticut is the first state across the nation to be recognized as a "pacesetter" in childhood literacy by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a national nonprofit network that believes the most important predictor of a child's success in school and adulthood is being able to read at grade-level by the end of third grade.
The Campaign said the award "reflects the exemplary work by the Governor, General Assembly, Commissioner of Education, Connecticut
Commission on Children, Connecticut Association for Human Services, philanthropic sector, and communities
across the state to ensure that young children are on track for success in school."
Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign as well as vice president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, presented the award to state Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor at the Discovery 2012 Stone Soup Conference, held October 10 in Cromwell. The annual event brings together supporters of early learning and literacy programs from across Connecticut.
“From small towns to your capital city, Connecticut has become a model of what a state should do,” Smith said. “Your governor and statehouse have advanced thoughtful legislation on early literacy, with tireless support from the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and the state Commission on Children. Your cities and towns are working collaboratively to ensure more low-income children learn to read well by the end of third grade. Connecticut's stellar philanthropic institutions also deserve credit for providing both patient capital and consistent support.”
The Campaign said its award acknowledges Connecticut's success on several fronts, including:
- State policy, where the state has been a leader in promoting an aligned system of care and services for children from birth through third grade. Efforts include:
- The Governor and General Assembly passed legislation that lays the foundation for universal literacy by grade three by providing for 1,000 additional slots in early childhood education, professional development
for instructors and a quality rating system. The new law also adds resources for the state’s lowest-performing
school districts and provides incentives for schools that improve their reading performance trend.
- The Governor issued an executive order connecting his office to an Early Childhood Office to coordinate state early education efforts.
- The State Department of Education launched “Closing The Achievement Gap: Getting PreK-Grade 3 Right,” bringing together community and school teams to help align standards, curricula and assessments from pre-kindergarten through third grade.
- Civic engagement. Thirteen Connecticut communities are among the 124 charter members of the Grade-Level
Reading Communities Network and have developed action plans in connection with the All-America City Awards.
The plans engage the full community around the goal of supporting low-income children from birth through
third grade. New Britain, which launched its own campaign two years ago, was designated a Community
Pacesetter by the Campaign. Connecticut is second only to California in the number of places participating. The other 12 communities are
Branford, Danbury, Torrington, Bridgeport, Hartford, Norwalk, Vernon,
Bristol, Meriden, Plymouth, Winchester and
- Philanthropic leadership. "Connecticut’s stellar philanthropic institutions deserve credit for providing
both patient capital and consistent support," the Campaign said. The list includes the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Children’s Fund of Connecticut as lead funders
of local efforts to improve early childhood outcomes. Local philanthropic partners that supported the development
of grade-level reading action plans include: the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, United Way
of Coastal Fairfield County, United Way of Meriden & Wallingford, United Way of West Central Connecticut,
United Way of Western Connecticut and United Way of Northwest Connecticut.
For more information, visit the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, at gradelevelreading.net.
About the Commission on Children: Created with bipartisan support in 1985 by the Connecticut General Assembly, the Commission on Children brings together the various levels of government, the private sector, nonprofit agencies, and philanthropy to promote public policies in the best interests of children. Its board members, who serve as volunteers, are appointed by legislative leaders of both parties. It has a staff of six. For more information, visit www.cga.ct.gov/coc.