An Initiative for Early Childhood Literacy and Education

Did you know?

• Children who are not reading on grade level by age 8 rarely catch up and are more likely to later drop out of school

• Some states even plan the size of their prisons according to how many children are not reading on grade level by age 8

• Reading aloud to their children is single best way for parents to help their children develop literacy skills

• Too many fourth graders in each town served by the Connecticut Community Foundation are not reading on grade level, according to the Connecticut Mastery Test scores from the year LitLinks was planned. Examples include Litchfield (34% did not meet the standard), Naugatuck (49%), Washington (27%) and Watertown (43%).

• Reading aloud to their children is single best way for parents to help their children develop literacy skills

LitLinks is a grant-making initiative to support early childhood education.

Current Investments

• Motheread/Fatheread: a reading program for parents of young children

• Community Conversations: community forums to discuss early childhood education and develop plans to improve it

• Support of efforts to improve in early childhood education through professional development, support for accreditation, teacher retention and community strategic planning.