News Releases

Countywide Initiative to Improve 3rd Grade Reading Launches Saturday

Early Childhood Literacy Summit to be held Sept. 24, 8:30 a.m. - noon

WHAT: A summit of more than 150 community leaders and representative of governmental agencies, Miami-Dade Public Schools, and programs serving children and families will gather to kick-off a countywide initiative with the goal of reducing by half the number of third graders not reading at grade level by 2020. Reading at grade level by the third grade is the leading indicator of school success and high school graduation, but one-third of our third graders fail to reach this critical benchmark.

WHO: Speakers include Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade County Public Schools` Superintendent; Ralph Smith of the Annie E. Casey Foundation; David Lawrence Jr., President of the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation; Modesto E. Abety-Gutierrez, President and CEO of The Children’s Trust; and representatives from the office of the Mayor of Miami Dade County and the Miami-Dade County Public Library System.

WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 2011, 8:30 AM - Noon.

WHERE: Miami Airport Hilton, 5101 Blue Lagoon Drive, Miami, FL.

DETAILS: Summit breakout sessions will focus on parenting for literacy, quality child care and school readiness, preventing summer learning loss and chronic school absenteeism in elementary school.