The Tennessee Department of Education along with Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam on Wednesday will launch the Read to be Ready campaign to improve literacy across the state. The event will begin a statewide focus on the critical value of reading— not only the value of learning to read but also the value of reading to learn, officials said.
Officials said, "The Read to be Ready campaign kick-off will highlight our collective and aligned strategies to improve reading that will lead to better thinkers and workers in Tennessee. This statewide campaign is designed to move the 43 percent of students who are currently reading on grade level in third grade to 75 percent by 2025.
"We know that reading is so much more than just connecting words on a page – it is about making meaning, improving thinking, and opening the world to our students. Governor Haslam has already proposed a $9 million investment to create a network of literacy coaches and regional coordinators supporting literacy efforts across the state. This is in addition to the department’s commitment to partnering with higher education to refine and strengthen literacy standards for new teachers as well as providing support to existing teachers on intervening and strengthening literacy skills."
The department will also unveil a report on elementary grades reading in Tennessee. “Setting the Foundation” incorporates a series of studies and data analyses conducted over the past year to better outline the challenges faced in our classrooms.
To help further these efforts, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation will also be announcing a generous donation to fund new reading initiatives in Tennessee, it was stated.