Out-of-School Time Support
A city-wide initiative on one of the most important indicators for a student's success: grade-level reading by the end of 3rd grade.
Elementary Education Vision
LMS leads a city-wide initiative on one of the most important indicators for a student's success: grade-level reading by the end of third grade. LMS combines the strength of community based organizations, funders, city agencies, and corporations to align the work of these multi-sector partners who are all committed to improving outcomes for students.
Out-of-School Time Network members are aligned to the Reimagining 901 goal set by Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) to see 74% of third grade students proficient in ELA by 2030. In order to reach this goal, the Network is bringing the community together around two strategic areas: developing, adopting, and deploying reading interventions or support services in after-school and summer programs that support school-based reading interventions; and engaging parents and the community (e.g. civic organizations, faith communities, etc.) in adopting practices to improve school attendance and reading proficiency.
Out-of-School Time
After school and summer create opportunities for continued growth and sustained achievement. Without access to enrichment, both academic and otherwise, students can lose as much as three months of reading comprehension skills over the summer. This can leave students behind by as many as three grade levels by the end of fifth grade. Utilizing the summer and after-school space to address this gap advances the march to grade-level reading.
Family Engagement
The family serves as the first teacher to their children. With emotional and social support, family engagement ensures the success of other interventions, and can foster a love of learning.
School Attendance
Absences early in a child's school career can deny students the time they need to develop literacy skills. Education providers typically focus on avoiding “chronic absence” (missing 10% of the school year), which includes all days a student misses--excused or not. That mark of chronic absense has preceded lower academic performance in the subsequent academic year. Being present is vital for ensuring grade-level reading.