The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
More than one million children from birth to age 8 are living in public housing in the United States. Research shows that eighty percent of children from low-income families enter kindergarten so far behind that they do not catch up and are unable to read proficiently by the end of third grade, a key predictor of high school graduation.
Housing is a critical platform and portal for early learning and early school success.
To promote and increase the work being done across the country to improve the grade-level reading skills of children living in public housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has joined forces with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Together, we will promote the great work Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) are leading nationwide to address this issue and will build strong, local coalitions that support PHAs with providing diverse, high-quality books and literacy support to children and families.
BRIGHT SPOTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
2019 WEBINARS
Place Matters Webinar: 2Gen and Housing
Held March 5. Recording and Slides
Susan Popkin, director of the Urban Institute’s HOST Initiative, and Sarah Haight, assistant director for network and outreach at Ascend at the Aspen Institute discussed Place Matters: A Two-Generation Approach to Housing, a brief that provides a set of recommendations on how to harness assisted housing and public-private housing partnerships for better outcomes for families. Jill Fioravanti, senior consultant with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, moderated the discussion, which highlighted specific tools and strategies to better integrate two-generation solutions in subsidized housing. This was the second segment of an ongoing discussion series focused on the Campaign’s work connecting public housing and early school success.
2018 WEBINARS
Housing Partner Discussion Series: Linking Public Housing, Parents and Technology
Held December 3. Recording and Slides
This housing partner webinar featured a presentation by Dr. Ben York, president of Ready4K. Ready4K is an evidence-based family engagement curriculum delivered via text message, scientifically designed to increase parents’ involvement in their children’s lives. Dr. York referenced two research papers during his presentation:
- More Than Just a Nudge: Supporting Kindergarten Parents with Differentiated and Personalized Text-Messages by Doss, Fahle, Loeb & York (2018)
- One Step at a Time: the Effects of an Early Literacy Text Messaging Program for Parents of Preschoolers by York & Loeb (2014)
2018 GLR WEEK RESOURCES
Supporting Caregivers in the Face of Adversity: Public Housing Responds
This workshop highlighted ways that Public Housing Authority (PHA) leaders are integrating trauma-informed practice into their work with residents — through direct service, staff professional development and as part of local, regional and statewide policy priorities. The workshop also highlighted research and case studies by the Urban Institute around community-level trauma and best practices for integrating trauma-informed resident engagement into programs and services. Participants had an opportunity to consider and discuss how a trauma-informed care lens impacts how they work with both adults and children and the shifts in policies, relationships and practices that could emerge from this approach.
Moderator: Abra Lyons-Warren, Senior Program and Policy Manager, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities.
Panelist: Kitty Miller, Chief Administrative Officer, Home Forward.
Panelist: Stefanie Bass, Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator, Department of Housing and Community Development, Fairfax County, VA
Panelist: Elsa Falkenburger, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute.
Slides, Pre-Readings and Documentation
Leveraging Technology and Public Housing to Reach Parents – A Partner Briefing
This Partner Briefing provided funders and colleagues with the opportunity to learn about innovative technology tools to reach parents, particularly those living in public housing. This session hosted colleagues in the digital and PHA spaces, with the goal to expose local funders to examples of some of our nation’s best programs that can promote and accelerate early school success across the GLR Network.
Lead Presenter – Jean McSpadden, President and CEO, Bright by Three/Bright by Text. Slides
Lead Presenter – Ben York, Founder of Ready4K and the CEO of ParentPowered Public Benefit Corporation. Slides
Presenter: Sophie George, President/CEO, Topeka Housing Authority Slides
Presenter: Marissa Kaiser, Senior Program Manager, Vroom;
Presenter: Abra Lyons-Warren, Senior Program and Policy Manager, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Presenter: Michael Levine, Senior Vice President and Chief Knowledge Officer of Sesame Workshop Slides
2017 GLR WEEK RESOURCES
Public Housing as a Platform for 24/7/365
Moderator: Charles Rutheiser, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Lead Discussants: Rebecca Friendly, Age of Learning – ABCmouse; Michael Lombardo, BookNook; Betsey Martens, Bringing School Home; Preston Prince, Fresno Housing Authority; William Russell, Sarasota Housing Authority; Ginger Young, Book Harvest
- Bringing School Home Slide Deck
- Public Housing as a Platform Session Documentation
- Public Housing As a Platform Materials
The Intersection of Housing and School Readiness
Local GLR campaigns are increasingly reaching out to housing authorities to join the GLR coalition because of their unique access to vulnerable populations. Housing authorities can play a significant role, in collaboration with other public agencies and nonprofits, in efforts to increase readiness for success in school. This session features a set of communities that are implementing especially powerful partnership arrangements with housing authorities to leverage their effectiveness and drive results.
Preston Prince, Fresno Housing Authority; Fresno, Calif., moderator
James A. Cloar, Tampa Housing Authority; Tampa, Fla.
Jillian Fisher, United Way of Greater Topeka; Shawnee County, Kan.
Sally Fuller, The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation; Springfield, Mass.
Trey George, Topeka Housing Authority; Shawnee County, Kan.
Slide Deck and Session Documentation
Prioritizing and Achieving Results for Vulnerable Populations Over the Summer Months
Housing authorities are eager to partner with community organizations and other agencies to ensure that resident children have access to a variety of enriching programs and activities during the summer. This session explores exemplary models of program partnerships to keep children learning and healthy during the time of year when services, supports and opportunities for vulnerable populations of children are typically diminished.
Sunny Shaw, Housing Authority of the City of Pocatello, Idaho, moderator
Francisco Blanco, City of Phoenix Housing Department; Phoenix, Ariz.
Teree Caldwell-Johnson, Oakridge Neighborhood; Des Moines, Iowa
Mark Thiele, Houston Housing Authority; Houston, Texas
Slide Deck and Session Documentation
Bringing Attendance Home
A growing number of local GLR campaigns are effectively engaging their housing authorities to reach especially vulnerable populations of children. The communities featured in this session have been particularly successful in improving school attendance through partnering with their local housing agencies. These communities will discuss the formation of their engagement with these agencies, as well as the key elements of their partnership that have begun to move the needle on reducing chronic absence.
Jeff Smink, Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, moderator
Lewis Jordan, Housing Authority of the County of Marin, Calif., moderator
Christine Arouth, Newport Family Child Opportunity Zone; Newport, R.I.
William Russell, Sarasota Housing Authority; Suncoast, Fla.
Session Documentation
GLR CAMPAIGN SPECIAL EDITION HOUSING SERIES – 2014
