On Friday, we’ll be meeting with many of the 100+ funders active in the GLR Campaign and our Communities Network in Washington, DC. Until then we’ll be featuring some of the foundations and donors who are making a difference. Today’s blog post is by Sanam Jorjani of the Rogers Family Foundation, program manager for Oakland Reads.

Oakland Reads 2020 (OR2020) is a citywide initiative  aimed at doubling the number of third graders reading at grade level by the year 2020. A multi-sector collaborative effort, OR2020 combines the strengths of the school district, city and county agencies, community-based organizations and funders, all committed to the success of early learners.

Supported and incubated by the Rogers Family Foundation, OR2020 has mobilized the philanthropic community to target strategies around third-grade reading outcomes. OR2020 provides data, resources and tools to enable partners to identify challenges, improve student outcomes and close achievement gaps.

Oakland Reads 2020 knows that the academic success of children requires engaged communities mobilized to remove barriers, expand opportunities and create equitable conditions. By driving with data, OR2020 hopes to build a citywide pathway to reading success.

The Oakland Reads 2020 Baseline Report, released this spring, offered an in-depth look at student outcomes, challenges and successes. In addition, the initiative actively develops and supports community campaigns, provides volunteer opportunities and raises funds to support literacy intervention programs at some of Oakland’s highest-needs schools and to place classroom-level libraries in 26 elementary schools. During the last academic year, OR2020 deployed nearly 100 community members to support the classroom libraries.