Reading Thriving, Together

A New Agenda for Education and the Community 

 Reading Thriving, Together is a critical, new report that reveals a community-driven agenda for education and for the community. 

About the Report:

 Centro Hispano and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation released a new report, Reading Thriving, Together, revealing a new community-driven agenda for education and for the community. 

 Over a five-month period, 16 community conversations were conducted with residents from 12 different neighborhoods across Reading; 5 were held in Spanish. In-depth interviews were conducted with 36 community leaders across education, non-profits, religious institutions, businesses and other areas. 

 Local residents, students, teachers, and community leaders seek meaningful shared action that calls on the community to step forward and ensure that all young people and families have the support and opportunities they need. Current efforts in Reading are making a real difference for young people and families, but they are not nearly enough to meet the community’s call for action. 

Click on Image to view the report

Clic en la imagen para ver el reporte

Our Purpose: 

 Centro Hispano and The Harwood Institute believe deeply that local communities must shape and drive their own change. There are two primary goals of this initiative: 

  1. Generate a community-defined education agenda that will lead to the transformation of the local education system.

  2. Strengthen the civic culture of Reading so, together, we can take effective action to create positive, lasting change.

 

A New Community-Driven Agenda for Education and for Reading: 

 Based on these conversations and interviews, people in Reading are calling for a nine-point education agenda to bring about a more equitable, inclusive, and hopeful path forward for all of Reading’s young people and families:

  1. Define a new community vision for educational success

  2. Provide more pathways for young people to win

  3. Develop and strengthen Pre-K programs

  4. Give families more voice in education decisions

  5. Hire and retain teachers who look like Reading

  6. Make English language literacy programs accessible to all families

  7. Create more mental health support for young people

  8. Make education a community enterprise

  9. Clear a path for new investments by setting real funding priorities. Together.

 Local residents, students, teachers, and community leaders seek meaningful shared action. Current efforts in Reading are making a difference for young people and families, but they are not nearly enough to meet the community’s call for real action—and real equity—in education.

 

Get Involved:

People in Reading want to do more. They’re ready to do more. We hope you’ll join us in creating a stronger future. Contact Centro Hispano for more information on how you can get involved..

 This effort is part of a national initiative supported by the Walton Family Foundation.