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Reading Success Summit Recap
What’s Next?
As our Reading Success Summit comes to a close, the real work begins as we look to create a long-term vision and plan to change the trajectory of 3rd grade reading proficiency in Brown County. If you would like to be involved in the work ahead in any capacity – volunteering with kids, volunteering on a committee or coalition, financial support – please scroll to the bottom of this page to sign-up to support reading success in our community. You can also reach out to Achieve Brown County’s Director of Collaborative Action, Sarah Wylie, at swylie@achievebrowncounty.org to share ideas or express your interest in partnering with us in the long-term work that is ahead. We have also provided links below to view 3rd grade reading proficiency data on our website and the historical Reading Success Summit Page.
3rd Grade Reading Proficiency Data | Reading Success Summit Event Page |
Listening Session Reports Released
From April-August of 2022, Achieve Brown County staff and Reading Success Summit committee members facilitated community listening sessions and spoke with nearly 130 parents, grandparents and guardians of kids in our community to understand and learn about their experiences with raising young readers. Below are the Executive Summary and Full Reports from this community listening session work.
We would like to thank Waterford Upstart for providing a grant to make this work possible.
Executive Summary | Full Report |
Learn about our Keynote Speaker, Scott Hall!
Registration for the Reading Success Summit is now closed.
Once students transition from the 3rd to 4th grade, they go from learning to read to reading to learn. This means children are expected to use reading to learn other subjects. Kids who reach fourth grade without being able to read proficiently are more likely to struggle academically. The data shows students who can’t read at a proficient level or above in 3rd grade are 4 times more likely not to graduate high school by the age of 19. This leads to higher dropout rates and likely results in difficulties finding suitable and/or financially secure career prospects.
In Brown County, reading proficiency levels have been slowly declining, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2016-2017 school year, 41% of Brown County students were reading at a proficient level. The most recent 2020-2021 shows a 14% decrease in reading proficiency, with only 27% of Brown County students meeting 3rd-grade reading proficiency targets. Checking out all of the data here!
Reading proficiency scores in Brown County also reveal massive equity gaps between children of marginalized populations and white students. The largest racial equity gap, a 31.3% difference, exists between Latinx and white students. However, no equity gap exists that is lower than 16%.
As a direct response to the declining reading proficiency levels and equity gaps in our community, Achieve Brown County and the Brown County Library will be hosting a Reading Success Summit. By bringing together subject matter experts, industry partners, and community members, we are taking the first step to create a stronger community of readers in Brown County.
Reading success affects every person in our community and everyone in our community has a role to play. Creating a strong community of readers is an important gateway to establishing a path to high school graduation, successful careers, active citizenship for all children, and a robust economy.
The Reading Success Summit aims to create a future where all children are reading at a proficient level. However, approaches must be intersectional and recognize the unique experiences and cultures of the students in Brown County Schools.
There is no one size fits all approach to creating better readers in our county. That is why we are calling on our entire community to join us in co-creating a brighter future for our children.
Team Leadership
Sarah Beckman, Executive Director
Achieve Brown County
Sarah Sugden, Executive Director
Brown County Library
Team Members
- Katie Guzek, Brown County Library
- Susan Lagerman, Brown County Library
- Molly Schroeder, Brown County Library
- Daisie Mathias, Achieve Brown County Reading Success VISTA
- Carla Buboltz, Wrightstown Community School District
- Sister Melanie Maczka, Casa ALBA Melanie
- Diana Delbecchi, Green Bay Area Public Schools
- Said Hassan, COMSA
- James McGee, We All Rise/Black Youth Alliance
- Missy Schmeling, Encompass Early Education & Care
- Jessy Polzer, Waterford
Thank you to our Reading Success Summit Supporting Organizations!
Achieve Brown County Barnes & Noble (Ashwaubenon) Bellin Health The Brain Center of Green Bay Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay Bright Young Dyslexics Brown County Library Casa ALBA Melanie – La Escuelita The Children’s Museum of Green Bay Community Services Agency, Inc. (COMSA) Dreambuilt Books Dyslexia Reading Connection Empowered Tutoring Encompass Early Education & Care, Inc. Friends of the Brown County Library – Give-A-Kid-A-Book Family & Childcare Resources of N.E.W Green Bay Area Public Schools Growing Resiliency Kumon Math and Reading Center of Green Bay Greater Green Bay YMCA Literacy Green Bay |
Northeast WI Technical College North Central Community Action Program On the Mark Dyslexia Clinic Inc. Oneida Nation Packers Hall of Fame – Tundra Tales Reading Connections, Inc. St. Norbert College The Traveling Tutors, LLC University of Wisconsin – Green Bay University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh – Project Success Volunteer Center of Brown County – Reading Coaches for Kids Waterford Upstart We All Rise African American Resource Center Wisconsin Dept. of Children & Families – Family Foundations Home Visiting Program Wisconsin Literacy, Inc. Wisconsin Reading Corps Wrightstown Community School District YWCA Green Bay |