Reading program to expand in Cape to get struggling readers to grade level

Next school year, the United Way of Southeast Missouri will augment its Read to Succeed program with a Read to Excel program targeted at older readers, facilitated by the DeltaCorps Regional Authority.

Currently, United Way volunteers in the Read to Succeed program tutor kindergartners and first-graders in all Cape Girardeau public schools.

Executive director Elizabeth Shelton said the Read to Succeed program has been shown to be a success since its inception in 2011.

“We now have data demonstrating those students who were in kindergarten and first grade that year and are now in third and fourth grade have the highest reading proficiency of any of the other cohorts,” she said.

While Read to Succeed focuses on giving new readers extra practice, the Read to Excel program will be implemented in second- through sixth-grade classrooms to target students who read below grade level.

“In theory, all students now up to grade five next year will have been in a cohort that participated in Read to Succeed,” Shelton said. “Now we can expand it, catching the struggling readers.”

The goal of the program, Shelton said, is to advance participating students at least one additional grade level and reading at grade level by the end of next year.

The DeltaCorps Regional Authority — a division of AmeriCorps — will provide for two people to help run the program beginning next school year.

Despite the additional help, the programs still will rely heavily on volunteer support, Shelton said.

Read to Succeed program manager Robin Koetting estimated there were 100 to 125 volunteers who participate as tutors every semester.

“And we’ll at least have to double that,” Shelton said, but pointed out since the new program will involve older children and different hours than Read to Succeed, some volunteers who aren’t able to participate may have an opportunity now.

Shelton said they’re in talks with principals in Cape Girardeau public schools to define the particulars of the program, but several schools are prepared to participate.

“We are incredibly proud of [the success of the Read to Succeed program] and grateful to the United Way leaders and volunteers who had the vision to bring this program to our community,” Shelton said. “The addition of these members [from DeltaCorps] helps us greatly increase our impact without affecting our operating expenses so that we can continue to invest our donor dollars back into our partner agencies and programs.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

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