Read to Succeed
At the foundation of learning is the ability to read. Help set a child on the path to success.
More than HALF of all third graders aren’t reading at grade level. In fourth grade, students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” If a student isn’t reading at grade level, they fall behind. In fact, they’re four times more likely to drop out. But you have the power to change that.
READING AT GRADE LEVEL
The Women United® Read to Succeed initiative focuses on helping children read at grade level by the end of third grade. Through a partnership with USD 259 – Wichita Public Schools, volunteer reading coaches are matched with at-risk students at local elementary schools. Coaches meet weekly with a student for 30 minutes to listen to them read and provide intervention tactics to help them improve their reading skills. This simple act helps them stay on track in school and life.
Because of the success of the program, we’re testing Read to Succeed in second grade at Gardiner, Franklin and Minneha elementary schools. Our hope is to provide intervention tactics earlier and prevent students from falling further behind.
BECOME A COACH
Coaches meet weekly, one-on-one with a student for 30 minutes. Both men and women are invited to be reading coaches. There is no financial commitment to be a coach. Free training is provided. You can pick the school you serve at and the day of the week you want to coach. When you invest your time as a reading coach, you’re investing in the life of a child and the future of our workforce.
Exciting news!
Because of the continued success of Read to Succeed, we are expanding to second grade in THREE new elementary schools for the upcoming school year: Adams, Isely, and Lawrence. We estimate over 400 children will need the help of Read to Succeed volunteers throughout the 24 schools we will be active in. Sign up today to serve as a reading coach for the 2022-2023 school year. We will contact you in August when you can register for a specific school.
2021 – 2022 SCHOOL YEAR RESULTS
21 Elementary Schools Served
357 volunteer reading coaches met weekly with second and third grade students
Surpassing Their Peers
On average, Read to Succeed students began third grade reading fewer words per minute compared to non-Read to Succeed students. By the end of the school year, they surpassed their peers.
Excelling in Accuracy
In both grade levels, Read to Succeed students were reading at an average accuracy rate greater than 97%, higher than their peers.
Achieving Benchmarks
114 second and third grade students achieved on grade reading levels by the end of the school year.
Second Grade: Average Words per Minute Gained Weekly
Second grade Read to Succeed students out-performed their peers with an average weekly growth of 1.36 words per minute per week. For second grade, an increase of 1.5 words per minute per week is considered realistic growth; 2 is considered ambitious growth.
Second Grade Students |
Avg. Weekly Growth
|
|---|---|
| Non-Read to Succeed Students | 1.28 |
| Read to Succeed Students | 1.36 |
Third Grade: Average Words per Minute Gained Weekly
Third grade Read to Succeed students out-performed their peers with an average weekly growth of 1.33 words per minute. For third grade, an increase of 1 word per minute per week is considered realistic growth; 1.5 is considered ambitious growth.
Third Grade Students |
Avg. Weekly Growth
|
|---|---|
| Non-Read to Succeed Students | 1.09 |
| Read to Succeed Students | 1.33 |
PARTNERS
Special thanks to USD 259 – Wichita Public Schools for partnering with Women United for this initiative.
QUESTIONS?
For more information, contact Heather Crump, United Way Community Impact Manager for Education, at hcrump@unitedwayplains.org or (316) 267‑1321.
OUR FOCUS
Our focus is on health, education, financial stability and basic needs—the building blocks for a good quality of life and a strong community. Click below to learn more about what we’re doing, the programs we invest in and our lasting impact in each area.
