Today we welcome 10 new communities to our Grade-Level Reading Communities Network and applaud their commitment to working collaboratively toward our goal of increasing the number of children reading at grade level by the end of third grade. These news members deepen the work going on in three of our key states.

They include initiatives in seven Arizona communities: Buckeye, Chandler, Cochise County, Globe-Miami, North Gila County, Scottsdale and Tempe; two from Connecticut: Colchester and Waterbury; and New Bedford, Massachusetts.

The newest GLR communities bring our network to more than 150 communities from 39 states that are committed to tackling the national reading crisis.

“We’re pleased that these communities are joining our Network and pledging to take action so that more low-income children read proficiently by the end of third grade,” said Ralph Smith, managing director of the GLR Campaign and senior vice president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. “If we’re going to increase our graduation rates, close achievement gaps and promote success in the 21^st century economy, we need mobilized communities working with schools, city agencies, nonprofits, civic leaders and parents to focus on third-grade reading.”

Membership in the Grade-Level Reading Communities Network gives these local initiatives access to experts and policymakers focused on this issue, assistance in addressing the challenges that keep many children from learning to read and opportunities to share and learn with similar communities.