California Ranks 46th in Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency

California Ranks 46th in Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency: Roughly 3 in 4 are failing to read at grade level

Early Warning!
Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters:
A KIDS COUNT Special Report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation May 18, 2010

A new report released today highlights the need to increase the number of children reading at grade level by the end of third grade, a critical academic milestone that can predict whether or not children graduate from high school.

According to the KIDS COUNT Special Report, Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters, from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, children’s reading proficiency is central to their school success, life-long earning potential and ability to contribute to the nation’s economy and its security.

California ranks 46th in the nation in fourth grade reading proficiency, with roughly three out of four fourth-graders (76 percent) failing to read at grade level. The state’s high school dropout rate is approaching 20 percent overall, with rates ranging from eight percent for Asian students, 12 percent for white students, 24 percent for Latino students and 33 percent for African American students. In California, this translates into 98,000 students per class who fail to graduate.

With 6.3 million public K-12 students, California has the largest and most diverse student population in the nation; for example, roughly 40 percent of the state’s kindergartners are designated English learners. The state’s ability to provide every child a high-quality education has impacts for children, the state and the nation. Children’s reading proficiency is central to their school success and their earning potential. It is estimated that each high school dropout costs society $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes and productivity. Moreover, California’s economic vitality, dependent on a skilled and educated workforce, is facing a projected shortfall of one million college graduates by 2025.

Santa Maria Library - Literacy project golden for scout, council and families

Literacy project golden for scout, council and families
Santa Maria Times: May 13, 2010 by Brian Bullock

Tatianna Kufferath loves reading and working with children.

So when she had to develop a project to earn her Girl Scouts Golden Award, combining the two passions was perfect.

The result is the Santa Maria Family Literacy Program, which helps parents with limited English skills learn the language so they can better help their children with their school work.

“It’s vital for a kid’s success in education to have that parental support,” Tatianna explained, sounding a lot like a passionate elementary school teacher. “A lot of parents really, really want to help their kids, but they don’t know how. I wanted to have a project that would help with that.”

Tatianna, a junior at Righetti High School in Orcutt, joined with Isa Ponce-Jimenez, director of the Central Coast Literacy Project, to develop the program. Ponce-Jimenez had wanted to develop a similar project ever since moving into the Santa Maria Public Library. Their collaboration has been golden for both women.

Tatianna, a Girl Scout since the third grade, will receive her Golden Award tonight at the Pacific Christian Center, where she attends church, and the program has blended beautifully into the Central Coast Literacy Project.

6 6 6 6 6 6 6

The program, which started last summer, has approximately 20 mentors from Righetti High, where Tatianna is a junior, Pioneer Valley High and St. Joseph High. Tatianna said she is always looking for more. READ MORE !

Easy Voter Guide: California Primary - June 8

EASY VOTER GUIDE
June 8, 2010 California Primary Election

For new readers and busy voters.
Welcome to the Easy Voter Guide Project website.
Your nonpartisan quick guide to statewide elections since 1994.

Read about the Candidates and Propositions:
Prop 13: Property Taxes & Earthquake Safety
Prop 14: Primary Elections
Prop 15: Public Funding of Campaigns
Prop 16: Local Public Electricity
Prop 17: Auto Insurance

The Easy Voter's Guide was started when a group of public library adult literacy students [ Bay Area New Readers Council ] felt that there was a lack of nonpartisan voter information accessible to adults still working on their reading skills.

Some of their innovations, job descriptions for each political office, have been adopted by the Secretary of State's official Voter Information Guide.

The nonpartisan “Easy Voter Guide” (formerly Easy Reading Voter Guide) has been published for every California statewide election since 1994.

It is a service of:
~ League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
~ California State Library
~ California Secretary of State's Office
~ The James Irvine Foundation provides additional support

Hemet Library - Stricken author who had to relearn to write to discuss book in Hemet

Stricken author who had to relearn to write to discuss book in Hemet
Press Enterprise: May 8, 2010 by Brian Rokos

Author Megan Timothy will discuss her new book and promotional journey from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on (May 13)Thursday at the Hemet Public Library, 300 E. Latham Ave., in Hemet.

Timothy, who suffered a stroke in 2003, credits the library's adult literacy program for helping her relearn to write and speak.

She rode her bicycle 12,000 miles to promote "Let Me Die Laughing! Waking from the Nightmare of a Brain Explosion."

Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Timothy will donate a percentage to the library's adult literacy services.

San Diego Public Library :: READ/San Diego - 20th Annual Tutor Conference 2010

READ/San Diego: 20th Annual Tutor Conference

June 12, 2010

Joan B Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice

University of San Diego

The READ/San Diego conference will feature an impressive lineup of presenters including the luncheon keynote speaker Maryanne Wolf, internationally known researcher and author of the critically acclaimed book, Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain.

Geared to provide literacy tutors with tools and techniques they can implement immediately, the conference will feature workshops strands on learning disabilities, pronunciation, phonics, family literacy, writing, comprehension, GED preparation strategies and the latest brain-based research:

Survival Skills-Role of Executive Functions
Practical Strategies Improve Fluency
Comparative Approaches Teaching Phonics
Picture is Worth 1000 Words
Promoting Clearer Pronunciation
Helping Elementary M School Reading Writing
Teaching Grammar in Context
Teaching GED Prep
Making Most of Conversation Practice
English Lang Skills-Parents, Child Care Providers
Understanding Learning Challenges, Styles

Full Conference: $30.00
Luncheon Only: $15.00
Deadline: June 10, 2010
For additional information, please contact READ/San Diego
619 . 527 . 5475

SCLLN 'Get Caught Reading' Fundraiser

Get Caught Reading Month FUN-Raiser

May 1 - 31

May is ‘Get Caught Reading Month’ and SCLLN invites Staff, Learners, Tutors and Friends to Celebrate Reading !

Email a photo of you, someone or something ‘Caught Reading ’
~ with a description of the photo: Who, What, When and Where
~ and the name of your Library !

Fun - Raising Target: $1,000

Make a contribution along with your photo.
Make a contribution and Vote for you favorite photo.
Make a contribution and Support SCLLN & Literacy.

Donations Large and Small Are Greatly Appreciated !

Email your photo to the Southern California Library Literacy Network

Subject: SCLLN Caught Reading

All the photos will be posted on the SCLLN blog and on Flickr.

Winner attends the 2011 Southern California Literacy Conference FREE !

Get Caught Reading is a nationwide campaign to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read. May is Get Caught Reading month, but the campaign is promoted throughout the year. Get Caught Reading is supported by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). Launched in 1999, "Get Caught Reading" is the brainchild of former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAP, the industry association representing book publishers. She saw the opportunity to spread the word about the joys of reading through an industry-supported literacy campaign.

San Bernardino County Library - When he lost his job, he found a passion

When he lost his job, he found a passion
Press Enterprise: April 27, 2010 by Linda Lou

When the company that Ricardo Tamayo worked for went under in 2008, he spent many hours looking for work on the computers at the Lewis Library and Technology Center in Fontana and was intrigued at how some Latinos toiled over how to use computers.

Tamayo, who is bilingual, helped translate. After securing work as an insurance sales agent, Tamayo started volunteering as a literacy tutor in 2009.

Two months later, he was asked to teach a computer class in Spanish.

The volunteer position spoke to Tamayo.

He said he has a background in computers and is a Certified Microsoft Systems Engineer. For the past year, he has been teaching basic Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. His teaches in English on Mondays and on Tuesdays in Spanish. Each session is five weeks.

"He brings terrific enthusiasm," said Lisa Llewellyn, a literacy coordinator for the San Bernardino County Library System. "He is one of the best volunteers."

Tamayo, 50, said he enjoys teaching.

"It's just something that's in me," he said. "I like to help people. It's a wonderful feeling, a great sensation. At the end of class, everyone says, 'Thank you, Ricardo.' I feel good."

6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Tamayo said he plans to volunteer at the Fontana library, which is near his home, as long as he has the time. He recently started studying Microsoft Office Publisher and hopes to offer a course in that as well.

Volunteering at the library has given him a new passion. Tamayo said he plans to find out what he needs to do to get a paid job in the classroom.

"My goal is to become a computer instructor at an adult school in Fontana," he said.

For more information about computer classes at the Lewis Library and Technology Center, call 909-574-4540 or 909-574-4560. READ MORE !