Project Wichita Literacy Initiative awarded a three-year, $300,000 grant from Kansas Health Foundation
The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) announced this morning the recipients of its $2.7 million investment to improve early childhood literacy and kindergarten readiness. Among the recipients was the Project Wichita-led Literacy Coalition, designed to coalesce regional literacy programs toward the overarching goal of increased community literacy levels.
Facilitated by Wichita State University's Public Policy and Management Center, this Project Wichita Coalition includes USD 259-Wichita Public Schools, United Way of the Plains, Rainbows United, Greater Wichita YMCA, Wichita Public Library, Kansas Children's Service League, Child Start, Wichita State University, School of Education and the Counseling, Leadership and Educational and School Psychology, AB&C Bilingual Resources and Storytime Village.
This Coalition will serve as a catalyst for collaboration around early childhood literacy stakeholders. The group has three main goals:
- Provide support activities to improve kindergarten readiness through shared language, standard measures and programming
- Amplify existing programs proven successful to increase third grade reading proficiency
- Strengthen and expand summer reading programs to increase summer retention for literacy goals
This three-year, $300,000 grant directly addresses the literacy initiatives in the Lifelong Learning Action Plan, one of five Project Wichita Focus Areas. Through the Project Wichita community visioning process, the community supported a future generation mindset and indicated that investments in literacy can unlock many of the region's opportunities for our children.
This grant will allow our community to further define and invest in the strategic partnerships that will be needed to make transformative change in early childhood literacy in our community.
