Literacy

What is “literacy?”

• Literacy is “the ability to read, write, and communicate connects people to one another and empowers them to achieve things they never thought possible. Communication and connection are the basis of who we are and how we live together and interact with the world.” – International Literacy Association 

Why is literacy important?

• 30-42% amount illiterate workers earn less than those who are literate. 
• 43% of adults living in poverty can barely read or can't read at all. 
• A Harvard University study found that people with at least 12 years of education live a year-and-a-half longer than those with less education. 
• Data from the department of justice shows that 75% of state prison inmate have low literacy skills or did not graduate high school. 

 Support for Literacy at Home

Tips for Supporting Your Young Child’s Literacy At Home

Keep Books Within Reach | Make sure books are easy to reach and find. Books should be as easy to use as any other toy in your home. 

Sing, Read, Repeat | Read  your child’s favorite stories and sing their favorite songs over and over again. This will strengthen their language skills and provide positive feelings about reading. 

Ask Questions | Ask your child questions about everything! Children have strong opinions and interesting ideas about their world. Encourage them to tell you what they think. You’ll learn more about them as they build their language skills. 

Talk to your Child | Ask your child to talk about his or her day at school. Encourage them to explain something they did or a game they played during recess. 

Play with Puppets | Play language games with puppets. Have the puppet say, “My name is Mark. I like words that rhyme with my name. Does park rhyme with Mark? Does ball rhyme with Mark?”

Say Silly Tongue Twisters | Sing songs, read rhyming books, and say silly tongue twisters. Those help kids become sensitive to the sounds in words. 

I Read… You Read… | Take turns reading aloud at bedtime. Kids enjoy this special time with their parents. 

Take Control of the Television | It is difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Ask questions about what your child watches or games they play. Also, encourage reading as a free-time activity. 

Storytelling on the Go | Take turns adding to a story the two of you make while riding in a car or buss. Try making the story funny or spooky. You can even share a funny thing that happened when you were little.  

Support for Literacy Instruction in the Classroom

Instructional Coaching

For more than 50 years, research has shown teacher quality to be the most important factor in student success at school. For this reason, USD 443 places a strong emphasis on job-embedded professional learning for teachers through instructional coaching.

Literacy Partners | Dodge City Reads

Click the books below to see & hear them being read by local community members.

More Community Partnerships

Our Origin Story

In July of 2018, the Kansas State Department of Education awarded a portion of the Literacy Network of Kansas (LiNK) grant to Dodge City Public Schools. LiNK is funded through the federal Striving Readers’ Comprehensive Literacy Program.

Some facts about the DCLiNK project:

• The U.S. Department of Education’s Striving Reader’s Comprehensive Literacy Program awarded to KSDE, in partnership with the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, a $27 million literacy grant.
• The state-level LiNK grant currently funds eight literacy projects across Kansas – representing 32 school districts, including USD 443.
• Statewide, the LiNK grant will impact an estimated 88,000 learners – from birth through grade 12.
• Each local project is awarded $3.25 million over a 3-year period to:
  • Improve literacy at the state, regional, and local levels.
  • Improve literacy growth and development, particularly for disadvantaged youth, including English learners, economically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities.