Readers 2 Leaders

Readers 2 Leaders is creating a Dallas where all children read at or above grade level. Our mission is to equip students for success through the power of reading. Through a high-quality, research-based literacy tutoring model and in partnership with schools, non-profits, and families, Readers 2 Leaders meets students where they are with reading intervention and enrichment supports that will help them reach their academic goals and transform their lives. Our team focuses on reaching students in the early elementary years who don’t have access to other resources due to economic inequality and systemic racism.

According to STAAR data aggregated by Dallas education advocacy organization Commit, in 2022, 43 percent of third graders were reading on grade level. Students of color disproportionately lack the resources they need to succeed in reading, with 35 percent of Black students and 37 percent of Latino students reaching their grade level goals. We know that third graders who are behind in reading are 4-6 times less likely to graduate from high school than their on-level peers (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

In Summer 2022, the White House recognized the impact that tutoring, summer learning, and afterschool programs will have on students’ lives, especially as they recover from the disruptions of the pandemic. The National Bureau of Economic Research has found that one-on-one and small group tutoring like the programs R2L provides and trains our partners in “is one of the most versatile and potentially transformative educational tools in use today” (NBER, July 2020). Readers 2 Leaders teaches the mechanics of reading, rooted in phonics and word decoding skills, that help students gain fluency and comprehension so they can access grade-level reading material.

Literacy is a first step toward ensuring all children have access to the future they deserve. For twelve years, Readers 2 Leaders has seen firsthand what is possible when a child receives support from a trained reading instructor who believes in that student. We must act with clarity, compassion, and courage on behalf of our youngest readers - now more than ever.