Literacy Lab helps preschoolers

Results are outstanding for Community Services for Children’s Head Start children participating in the innovative Literacy Enhancement Project in the 2011-2012 school year. When the children started the program in the fall, their early literacy skills were far below proficient for their age. In fact, only 21% had skills appropriate for their level. By June, 97% tested at the kindergarten entry level. By comparison, state-wide, 76% of children in Pre-K Counts were proficient at the end of the school year.

 Seven of these classes combine federal Head Start funding with the State Pre-K Counts funding. An additional five classes of children use only federal Head Start dollars.

 CSC’s Literacy Enhancement Project combines an innovative self-paced literacy software called Imagination Station and other literacy-related strategies. A literacy lab coach assists children, monitors their progress, and works with the classroom teachers to devise individualized approaches to help struggling students.

 CSC is approved by the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program as an Educational Innovation Organization. CSC is eligible to receive tax credit dollars to support the Literacy Enhancement Project. Numerous companies have taken advantage of this in the past, including PPL, Computer Aid, Butz, Air Products, American Bank, PNC, Embassy Bank, Wells Fargo, LVHN, Eastern Industries, and Capital BlueCross, among others. Education 2020! in Allentown has taken a special interest in supporting the growth and development of the Literacy Lab. Last year, Susquehanna Bank using “Strikeouts for As” dollars and TD Bank Foundation also supported the expansion of the Literacy Lab. For information, call Sara George, 610-437-6000, x 2101.