Raising a Reader Massachusetts

Our goal is to close the literacy opportunity gap among children birth to age six in under-resourced communities by helping families develop and practice shared home reading habits. The vision is to make interactive reading a joyful and rewarding routine for all families. We equip parents & caregivers to be their child’s first teacher, empowered to be active participants in their child’s education, impacting success in school and beyond. We meet families where they are – partnering with local and community organizations to host or deliver the Raising A Reader program in settings trusted by families. Parent and caregiver participation begins with our rotating signature red book bags that provide access to high-quality, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant books in multiple languages. Our curriculum fosters awareness of the importance of early literacy, and helps families gain skills in evidence-based interactive reading strategies. Use of text messaging and other technologies reinforce the learning. Rigorous evaluation assesses the impact on caregiver behaviors. Our model is supported by more than 30 years of research showing that being regularly read to by a parent or caregiver before kindergarten is a crucial factor impacting a child’s academic success. Shared home reading habits foster brain development, vocabulary, and language skills essential to reading readiness.