We're a cross-sector collaboration between schools, non-profits, teachers, parents, health entities, early education providers, and businesses that are interested in playing a role in ensuring that all Haverhill students have the tools necessary to achieve grade level reading by the end of the 3rd grade.
Why Reading?
Reading proficiently by the end of the 3rd grade is one of the most recognized indicators of high school graduation, career success, and healthy lives. Nonetheless, 80 percent of economically challenged children miss this crucial milestone. Further, students with special needs also face systemic challenges to reading proficiency.
We have amazing teachers and literacy coaches. We also know that schools cannot take this on alone. Haverhill Promise is a community-wide undertaking, with each stakeholder playing a role, whether through health, access to books, summer learning, after school programs or parent engagement.
School Readiness
The greatest amount of brain growth occurs between birth and age five. In fact, by age 3, roughly 85% of the brain’s core structure is formed. In contrast, the majority of our investments are made in the traditional education years of K-12, which begin at age five.
Source: Lifetime Effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40
School Attendance
Chronic absence — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions, can translate into third-graders unable to master reading, sixth-graders failing subjects and ninth-graders dropping out of high school.
Source: Attendance Works
Summer Learning
Low-income students lose an average of more than two months in reading achievement in the summer, while their middle-income peers tend to make gains in reading. By the end of fifth grade, disadvantaged children are nearly three grade equivalents behind their more affluent peers in reading.
Source: Brookings
