The Bold Goals Coalition recently hosted a Literacy Action Network discussion with leadership from local school systems to explore opportunities for greater collaboration across sectors to support regional literacy goals.
Representatives from Jefferson County, Birmingham, Bessemer, Midfield, Fairfield and Tarrant school districts shared about efforts that were making a positive difference within their schools, while also discussing some of their challenges and exploring ways to collaboratively improve those areas.
United Way of Central Alabama, Children’s Policy Cooperative of Jefferson County, A+ Education Partnership and the Alabama State Department of Education convened the network and helped facilitate the discussion.
The Bold Goals Coalition is bringing together community-based organizations in March to continue building a cross-sector approach to improving literacy among students. The group’s focus is initially on ensuring students read proficiently by the end of third grade, which statistics show is a key predictor of high school graduation and career success.
The Literacy Action Network is designed to support the Alabama Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, as well as the Bold Goals Coalition’s vision of building a network that supports youth from cradle to career — from high-quality early education to post-secondary success.
For more information on this network, please contact Ryan Parker at RParker@uwca.org.
The Bold Goals Coalition takes on large, systemic issues by building partnerships that accelerate lasting change.