The Problem
Many children in Albuquerque, like the rest of the state, perform below grade level. 75% of fourth graders in New Mexico are not proficient in reading and 80% of eighth graders test below grade level in math. Children who reach the fourth grade without the ability to read proficiently are more likely to dropout of school, which can have lifelong consequences including lower incomes.
The Solution
City leaders recruit citizen volunteers aged 50+ to support literacy and academic achievement in the city’s public schools and early childhood learning centers. Volunteers assist teachers and tutor children in reading and math for 20 hours a week in partnership with the public school system.