Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Names Lehigh Valley Reads as Finalist for Pacesetter Communities
Bethlehem, PA. – The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading announced Lehigh Valley Reads as one of 22 nationally recognized communities as Pacesetter finalists for exemplifying extraordinary vision and best practices for their 2021–22 efforts. All communities chosen as finalists, including Lehigh Valley Reads, were deemed as making significant observable progress in the seven “Must Do Priorities” for Early School Success:
- Stop playing catch-up
- End chronic absence
- Reverse the summer slide
- Address health-related challenges
- Equip parents to succeed
- Advance grade-level reading and math
- Slow learning loss and accelerate equitable learning recovery
“Lehigh Valley Reads is honored to be recognized again nationally for the work we are doing that directly impacts children and families. With the amount of good work going on across the nation, we are humbled that The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has seen our progress and hope to continue to build our infrastructure and sustainability to continue to make change,” said Angela Zanelli, Campaign Director for Lehigh Valley Reads.
CGLR is a collaborative effort by funders, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states and communities to ensure that more children in low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career and active citizenship. CGLR focuses on promoting early school success as an important building block of more hopeful futures for children in economically challenged families and communities.
“These Pacesetter finalists really stand out for the ways they bring to life the seven ‘must do’ priorities we’ve identified as important for early school success. Congratulations to them for this achievement and we know our entire network will learn from their example,” says Ralph Smith, managing director of CGLR.
###
About Lehigh Valley Public Media™
Lehigh Valley Public Media is home to PBS39, WLVR News, and various community initiatives. We are the regional leader in the publicly funded, non-profit media space and serve a vibrant and growing economic region through a dedication to local, unbiased journalism, primary and secondary education, workforce development and health and wellness. PBS39 broadcasts four additional channels of content: PBS39 Extra, WORLD, Create TV and France 24. Lehigh Valley Public Media is licensed in Allentown to the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. For more information, visit PBS39.org.
About the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Since its launch in 2012, the GLR Communities Network has grown to include more than 350 communities, representing 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two Canadian provinces — sponsored by 5,200+ local organizations, institutions and agencies and supported by 500+ state and local funders, including 200+ United Ways. To learn more, visit gradelevelreading.net and follow the movement on Twitter @readingby3rd.