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Since 1999, Raising A Reader® has expanded from a San Mateo County Library System pilot program serving 24 classrooms into an award-winning, national program with 12 independent evaluations that prove its success. Today, there are Raising A Reader affiliates serving children and families in over 175 communities across 33 states.
The composition of Raising A Reader affiliates differs across communities. Current partnerships include affiliate chapters of United Way, state Library Foundations, Head Start programs, statewide school readiness initiative programs (Smart Start), First Time Mom's Home Visiting Programs, local school districts and low-income neighborhood improvement organizations such as Catholic Charities.
As a three time recipient of Fast Company Magazine's annual “Social Capitalist Award,” the Raising A Reader program can be scaled to meet diverse community needs and is readily adaptable to a variety of settings — from preschool classrooms and family childcare homes, to home-visiting programs and adult literacy classes.
In 2006, Raising A Reader announced the inaugural National Program Advisory Committee. This volunteer committee is comprised of early childhood professionals who are working to implement Raising A Reader in their communities across the country. Click here to view a complete list of committee members.
Standards of Excellence
Raising A Reader affiliates are trained and licensed to promote the Raising A Reader theory of change, described as Raising A Reader's Five Anchor Behaviors. Each year, affiliates conduct site evaluations to review local compliance with the Raising A Reader standards of excellence. Affiliates receive newsletters, attend regional meetings and the annual National Conference, and also receive ongoing technical assistance to develop and sustain program implementation.
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