Read 2 Learn

Our purpose is simple and direct, yet challenging. WFISD's purpose for this reading initiative is to insure that all

children are reading at grade level by the end of the third-grade. By the time they walk into their fourth-grade classroom, they will be reading to learn rather than learning to read. 

Who is Part of the Reading Initiative? 

We embody an army of volunteer readers (like you) who are dedicated to helping our students achieve maximum academic achievement through the building of strong reading skills. These volunteers read to an assigned student from one to three times per week for approximately 30 minutes each session.

Why Reading?

•  Twenty-five to 40 percent of American children are struggle academically because they do not read well enough.
• One-third of American students are not school-ready when they enter kindergarten not school ready and lack skills needed for a successful learning experience. 
• Forty-four percent of fourth-grade American students cannot read fluently, even when they read grade level stories aloud under supportive testing conditions.
• A student who cannot read on grade-level by third-grade is four times less likely to graduate on time with his/her peers. Add poverty to the equation, and a student is thirteen times less likely to graduate on time.
• In WFISD, approximately 23 percent of our first graders were already reading below grade level when they started second grade.  

"After 30 years in College Admissions, I volunteered for the Read 2 Learn program to contribute my time to an elementary student.  What I didn't expect is to learn so much from a third-grader! My brief visits with Haylee make me smile, make me laugh out loud every week.  She's contributed so much more to me.

Barb merkle, zundy read 2 learn volunteer