Community Education Goal:
Increase the percentage of central Iowa students who graduate from high school to 95 percent by the year 2020.
Central Iowa’s graduation rate increases to all-time high
The percentage of central Iowa students graduating high school within five years increased to an all-time high of 93.7 in 2017, from 93.6 percent in the prior year, according to data released by the Iowa Department of Education on April 11, 2019. The increase moves the region closer toward its Goal for 2020 to increase graduation rates to 95 percent, and is up more than 10 percentage points over nine years.
SCHOOL READINESS
Early screenings catch developmental, hearing, and vision issues before they interfere with learning. Children from families with low-income are almost twice as likely to have a reported developmental delay or disability as children from families with higher-income.
The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
MIDDLE SCHOOL SKILL BUILDING
It is vital to focus on building both academic and social skills in middle school (reading, comprehension, fluency, transition from arithmetic to mathematics, and camaraderie).
afterschoolalliance.org
WHERE WE WIN
SCHOOL READINESS
1,602 central Iowa children worked with 1,039 volunteer reading mentors to improve reading skills and school readiness through programs like Book Buddy, Power Read, and Real Men Read.
* Iowa Department of Education
EARLY-GRADE READING
157,767 books for children have been collected over the past five years and distributed for free to childcare centers, schools, nonprofit programs, and others who serve families in low-income households throughout central Iowa through Stuff the Bus and other book drives.
* Iowa Department of Education
OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME
63% of middle school students in central Iowa participated in at least one out-of-school activity. Since United Way began funding the Community School Coordinator position at Des Moines Public Schools, 5,163 6th-12th graders participated in more than one out-of-school activity, a 30+% increase.
READ to SUCCEED is a community-wide awareness campaign to inspire community action to ensure that, by the end of 2020, 90 percent of central Iowa children read proficiently by the end of third grade.
The campaign provides resources for parents and caregivers to help children learn to read, information on how to advocate for summer reading programs and volunteer opportunities for community members.
Book Buddy engages WLC members and other community volunteers to meet weekly with children in order to increase print literacy skills.
Participating students are introduced to 25 books over the course of the year and will have approximately 50 opportunities to read with a volunteer.
Power Read is a literacy and mentoring program where volunteer reading partners are matched with elementary school students. Using literacy kits developed by a team of experts, volunteers meet their students at their school each week to read a book together and do a skill-building activity. Students benefit from consistent and positive interactions with caring adults. Volunteers benefit from the knowledge that they are making a positive impact on a child’s future.
Graduation Walk brings volunteers to the homes of youth who have dropped out or are at risk for dropping out because they are behind in course credits. Over the past five years, Graduation Walk volunteers have visited 3,878 homes, connecting with more than 1,000 students to engage them with school to improve their futures.
United Way of Central Iowa Women’s Leadership Connection and local businesses collect quality children's books during the annual Stuff the Bus book drive. The books are donated to the central Iowa early childhood centers supported by United Way of Central Iowa Women’s Leadership Connection, as well as other nonprofits and home child care providers.
%20-%20No%20Tagline.png?width=180&name=211%20Logo%20-%20color%20(white%20bubble)%20-%20No%20Tagline.png)
