3 ways you can advocate for early literacy in Philadelphia
More than 70% of Philly’s children are not reading at grade level by the time they enter 4th grade. But we won’t let the story end there.
So much of what happens in our schools is shaped by policy at the local, state, and federal levels. We have to pay attention— as parents, educators, and community members— to hold our elected officials accountable for doing what’s best for our children.
These proposed policies directly impact early literacy education in Philadelphia. Here’s how you can help protect our children’s right to read:
Join the fight for fair school funding.
In 2023, Pennsylvania's school funding system was declared unconstitutional. Now there's a chance to set things right.
Harrisburg is debating Governor Shapioro’s historic public education budget proposal. This proposal will help every school district in Pennsylvania by providing resources to hire and keep great teachers, reduce class sizes, repair and upgrade schools, offer mental health support, and provide special education support. It also includes the 7-Year Adequacy Supplement, promising $1.4 billion for the School District of Philadelphia. That’s an additional $7,174 per student to more equitably fund our children’s education.
GET INVOLVED:
City Level: Email City Council to ask them to prioritize investments in education.
State Level: Contact your state representatives and urge them to pass the necessary bills in Harrisburg.
Connect with the organizations leading this work: Children First, PA Schools Work, Teach Plus Pennsylvania, and The Public Interest Law Center.
Support the Literacy Achievement for All Pennsylvanians Bills.
The proposed House Bill 998 and Senate Bill 801 will help make sure Pennsylvania’s students receive quality literacy instruction.
These bipartisan bills will advance the Science of Reading—a research-backed approach to teaching reading that includes building phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—by ensuring:
All schools use curricular and assessment materials aligned with the Science of Reading
All teachers are trained in the Science of Reading
Students who are identified as struggling readers as early as Kindergarten get the support they need to prevent falling behind
TAKE ACTION:
State Level: Tell your elected officials to support HB 998 and SB 801.
Connect with the organizations leading this work: Teach Plus Pennsylvania.
Ensure every school has a certified librarian.
The School District of Philadelphia only has the equivalent of two full-time certified librarians for its 217 schools and 116,000+ students. Yet research shows that students who attend schools with full-time, professional school librarians score significantly better on reading tests than those without.
In Pennsylvania, school librarians are certified educators. So, our children are missing out on caring adults who are trained to teach them, help them find and evaluate information, and find joy in reading.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
City Level: Sign up to testify at a Board of Education meeting to let District leaders know that school librarians are important to you.
State Level: Encourage your PA state senator and representative to support HB640 and SB610 requiring that all K-12 Pennsylvania students have access to a certified school librarian.
Connect with the organizations leading this work: Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians (PARSL) and the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association.
Everyone has a role to play in growing stronger readers. If yours is advocacy, find time to learn even more about these policies, take a stand, and make sure your voice is heard!
