About Us

Reading Seed photo

Reading Seed Children’s Literacy Program helps children in Pima County learn to read so they can read to learn.

Reading Seed addresses community literacy needs in the following ways:

  • Recruit and train volunteer reading coaches from the community to assist children reading below grade level in grades one through three
  • Provide a lending library of books that match K-12 students’ interests with their reading abilities
  • Distribute free books to children to encourage independent reading.

Thanks to corporate and individual supporters and significant underwriting provided by the Rotary Club of Tucson, Reading Seed can report the following outcomes:

  • Over 2000 children were coached in 2008-2009 school year
  • More than 700 reading coaches will return for the 2009-10 school year
  • 100 schools in nine school districts participate in the program
  • Over 15,000 books for children in grades K through 12 are available in the Lending Library
  • Books donated throughout our community number more than 19,000 (August 07-March 09)

Results

Eighty-seven percent of students working with Reading Seed reading coaches progressed at least one reading level in only two months, according to a pilot study conducted by the College of Education at the University of Arizona.

In addition, 94% of students surveyed stated that they read at home or other places outside of school.  These results support the major goals of the program: to increase the amount of student reading and to have students read voluntarily.  Research has shown that reading achievement is tied to the amount of reading that students do.

Other results were that 81% of Reading Seed students were using effective reading strategies when encountering difficult words, and 86% of teachers reported that students’ overall performance improved as a result of being in the program.

In a recent survey of reading coaches, 99% reported that they enjoyed working with the children, and 87% reported feeling that they were making a difference by reading to their students.

Statistics

Nationally, about 40% of fourth grade students are reading below grade level.  In some schools in Pima County that number approaches 60%.

Without basic reading skills, children fall farther and farther behind in their learning in all subjects, until many feel so unsuccessful that they eventually drop out.  In fact, Arizona has one of the highest drop out rates in the nation.  It’s estimated that 90% of those who drop out of high school are reading below grade level, and 50% of all high school students cannot read at grade level.

While illiteracy is a relatively unseen problem, it profoundly impacts our society.  U.S. Department of Education statistics reveal that 60% of prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading problems.  Illiteracy leads to low self-esteem, unemployment, poverty and crime.  Nationally, $5 billion a year is spent on welfare and unemployment compensation due to illiteracy.

Illiteracy begins early in the primary grades. Kindergarten through third grade is a critical time in the development of a child’s lifelong literacy.  During these years, children learn to read.  From fourth grade on, children are reading to learn.

According to Jim Trelease, a well-known advocate for reading aloud to children, “students who read the most, read the best, achieve the most and stay in school the longest.”  This is true regardless of the sex, race, nationality or socioeconomic background of the student as borne out by Mr. Trelease’s 25 years of research.

Research shows and literacy experts agree that if children can read at grade level by the end of third grade, the chances for continuing their education successfully increase dramatically. Schools are not equipped to provide the one-on-one assistance needed to help all children read at grade level.  Also, many underperforming students come from homes where reading is not encouraged because of a number of factors such as parents’ illiteracy, family poverty, and parent(s) with insufficient time to help their children.

According to the Arizona Department of Education website, 73% of Pima County third graders met or exceeded the reading standards on the Spring 2007 AIMS test.  That leaves 27% of students in the third grade that fall into the area of below standard.

Collaborations

Reading Seed is a member of the Literacy for Life Coalition which is a group of literacy providers, foundation, educators, business people, and members of government who are committed to helping achieve the goal of 100% literacy through 100% community engagement.

Significant underwriting is provided by the Rotary Club of Tucson.  As a special project for the centennial celebration of Rotary International, the Rotary Club of Tucson joined forces with the Reading Seed all-volunteer program in 2004 to create the thriving, 501c3 nonprofit organization that Reading Seed is today.

Reading Seed has developed special relationships with the Ajo Lions Club, Boys & Girls Clubs, Casa de los Ninos, Community Food Bank, Court-Appointed Special Advocates, Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse, Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona, House of Neighborly Service, and University Physicians Health Care.

This is such an important program and we are delighted to help in any way we can. I’m going to talk to some key people to see what we can do to support you with this. — Patricia Houston, Division Dean of Pima Community College NW Campus