Raising A Reader in Maryland: Baltimore and Beyond
Raising A Reader launched programs in Baltimore, Maryland in 2012 through grants from a group of committed funders. In partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools and Baltimore City Head Start, Raising A Reader began with 950 children in 34 classrooms. In that same year, RAR was awarded a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Innovative Approaches to Literacy program. This federal funding supported significant expansion in Baltimore. Today, more than 12,000 children and their families now participate annually in RAR in 384 classrooms within Baltimore City Public Schools and four Head Start affiliates in Baltimore.
Raising A Reader’s work in Maryland did not stop there. In 2014, Maryland State Department of Education included Raising A Reader in its federally funded Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge. Through this partnership, 2,800 children in seven counties across the state were able to participate in Raising A Reader. And, thanks to continuing support from our partners, funders and local communities, Raising A Reader will continue to grow throughout the state of Maryland this year. We are proud that what started with seed funding from committed partners has grown into a statewide effort that is reaching close to 15,000 high-need children and families throughout the state of Maryland.
Featured as a Bright Spot for the Campaign for Grade Level Reading, Raising A Reader is proud to share Baltimore’s story here: Baltimore Story
Check out this featured video of a Maryland grandmother sharing her grandson’s passion for reading and the Raising A Reader program:Baltimore Video