Summer Learning Awards: Applications Available Now
The National Summer Learning Association has made available the 2014 New York Life Excellence in Summer Learning Award application--due on Feb. 14. Last year's winners  included programs in two GLR communities--Boston and Charlotte--and many other communities have been actively using summer learning in a variety of creative ways to advance early literacy over the past year. If you know of strong summer reading programs, encourage them to apply.  A program in your community could win $10,000 from... ... More »

Groups Aligned with GLR Work Picked for I3 Grants
The U.S. Education Department has named the top 25 applicants in the latest round of its Investing in Innovation (I3) program, a list that includes several organizations working in GLR Network communities or closely aligned with our work. The potential grantees must secure matching funds by Dec. 11 to receive part of the $135 million in federal funding available for the I3 program. Those connected to our work or communities include: United Way of Greater Atlanta... ... More »

NAEP Scores Show Growth for Low-Income Students
The Nation's Report Card came out Thursday, and at first glance, the fourth-grade reading score looked awfully flat. The score inched up one point from 2011, the last time the National Assessment of Educational Progress was administered, and the gain was not large enough to be deemed statistically significant. The overall proportion of proficient readers remained disappointingly low, with 65 percent of U.S. fourth graders still failing short of the proficiency mark. Among students from... ... More »

New KIDS COUNT Report Details Skills for 3rd Graders
Science has long suggested that the earliest years of life have the most profound effect on the brain’s development. But far too many children lack the kinds of experiences and opportunities to promote and nurture healthy growth and development. And those who don’t meet key developmental milestones often struggle in school, and many won’t graduate on time – or at all. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s latest KIDS COUNT® policy report, The First Eight Years: Giving... ... More »

20 Museums & Libraries Receive Grants for Reading Programs
The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded $4.3 million in grants to 20 museums and libraries in 17 communities for work that promotes learning from birth to third grade. The projects range from creating comic books with kids in Brooklyn to training new librarians in Denver about early learning. They mark the second year of the Campaign’s partnership with IMLS, which last year provided $2.5 million in awards. Earlier this year, IMLS and... ... More »