Read2gether in Precinct 2 - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Read2gether is launching in zip codes 77520, 77521, 77562. Coming to more neighborhoods soon!
When Commissioner Adrian Garcia was Sheriff of Harris County, the largest county in Texas, he discovered the prison system planned future growth by the reading levels of current third graders. Knowledge of the ill-fated destiny of low achieving children has continued to drive his commitment to public service. As County Commissioner, he has vowed to give kids a better chance to succeed.
“I want us to plan future science laboratories and astronaut uniforms by today’s third graders’ success.”
Socio-economics make this goal more challenging. The link between educational attainment and family income is well established. Low-income children show up for kindergarten with a working vocabulary half as large as their more privileged peers, according to a Southern Education Foundation study.
Yet one in five residents in Precinct 2 lives in poverty. In one school district, two-thirds of students are economically disadvantaged. Less than half of them met reading proficiency targets in 2019. This is even more concerning with local job opportunities in Houston’s Port region requiring rigorous STEM or STEAM knowledge and skills.
The National Science Foundation emphasizes early learning and parental engagement from birth through age 8 to improve later STEM achievement. Addressing socio-economic equity in the context of reading STEM is important, according to a study called 3rd Grade Reading Success Matters.
Addressing these research-based approaches to support Commissioner Garcia’s education priorities, Read2gether brings Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Harris County. Read2gether will mail an age-appropriate book every month to any child who is registered through their fifth birthday. By the time they enter kindergarten, they will own a library of up to 60 books! Parents may sign their children up today.
With partners Goose Creek ISD, Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, ExxonMobil, San Jacinto Texas Historic District, Harris County Public Library, and NASA, the program is now active in Baytown and Highlands. We plan to grow support in order to expand throughout Precinct 2.
“Fostering a love for reading is the single most important thing to develop the minds of children. The San Jacinto Texas Historic District with our Quality of Life initiative is very proud to support Commissioner Garcia’s Read2gether program that will directly and positively impact the children of Precinct 2 and the Houston Port Region,” said Chad Burke of the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region.
Interested in becoming a partner to help Precinct2gether bring Read2gether to your Precinct 2 community? Contact us to find out more or contribute today.