Executive Summary

Read Alliance is grounded in a model of community empowerment, by employing young people within their own communities in meaningful jobs that improve the reading skills of their younger peers. Our commitment to building near-peer connections, to solidifying collaborative relationships with dedicated educators and school leaders, and to using the science of reading is what makes Read Alliance unique. Our belief in the promise and potential of all children and youth to succeed is at the core of Read Alliance’s cultural values. The ability to read, write and speak effectively is fundamental to academic, professional, and personal success. Yet research shows that a large segment of our population, specifically children from low-income backgrounds, start out behind in terms of language development in their homes. This translates into a lack of school-readiness when they enter kindergarten and a continued disadvantage as they move to higher grades. Because more than 85% of striving readers who complete the READ program improve more than a grade level in reading, we are improving young children’s long-term outcomes throughout their academic career and paving a pathway to success through high school and beyond. 90% of READ professional staff are women, and 85% identify as people of color. Read Alliance’s team reflects the communities where we live and work, and the organization is dedicated to advancing opportunities for continued growth for young people who worked with READ in high school.  More than 25% of READ’s extended core staff are READ Alum, including the Manager of Youth Development.

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