PHOENIX — There are thousands of K-3 students in Phoenix who are reading below grade level, Tim Valencia, a youth and education director in the city said.
So during Children's Book Week, the longest-running National literacy initiative in the country, a critical program is asking for the Valley's help to develop skilled readers.
The Read-On Phoenix program with AARP desperately needs more volunteers to help as many students reach their needed reading level. The program is down about 100 tutors because of the pandemic.
The program connects trained volunteer tutors from ages 50 and older, through the AARP Foundation and the City of Phoenix. The tutors help children become proficient readers by the time they finish third grade.
“Pre-pandemic we were reaching 150 and 160 volunteers so we really want to recruit as many volunteers as possible to serve as many students in Phoenix," Valencia said. "Because 13,000 students are not reading at grade level and we need to do something about that.”
The City of Phoenix said there's an issue with students reading below grade level in the community.
Because of the need, they're looking for volunteers to come in to schools and get them to grade level reading by third grade. Valencia added, the age group is at a pivotal time for student success.
Pre-pandemic, the city saw a more than 90 percent increase in reading attainment within the estimated 600 children in this program each year. The program is in five Phoenix-area schools right now. The goal is to triple that number to 15 schools by August.
Volunteers need to be available to tutor students twice a week during the school year, and be 50 years and older. There are summer programs in need of volunteers too. Phoenix provides all of the training and takes safety precautions during the in-school tutor times.
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