Reading proficiency by third grade is a key predictor of whether a student will graduate high school and achieve career success. Seventy-five percent of students who struggle with reading in third grade never catch up, and they are four times as likely to drop out of high school.
Opening Books, Opening Doors is a community partnership dedicated to solving this problem by helping all third graders in the Coeur d’Alene School District meet grade level reading goals. Innovia’s $300,000 contribution anchors the $600,000 grant to University of Idaho to carry out the Coeur d’Alene Early Reading Project in partnership with the Coeur d’Alene School District.
The key strategies of the three-year initiative are kindergarten readiness, parent engagement, out-of-school learning and quality teachers in a literacy-rich learning environment. By investing in these areas, Opening Books, Opening Doors will encourage students to understand and discuss the books they read, becoming fluent readers prepared to conquer the academic challenges of higher grade levels. In collaboration with a group of five local funders, the program will coordinate efforts of parents, volunteers and nonprofit organizations in Coeur d’Alene to achieve a vision of educational excellence that will benefit the entire community.
The Opening Books, Opening Doors funding partners are: Innovia Foundation; Numerica Credit Union; Community Focus Trust, Columbia Trust Company, Trustee; Mountain West Bank; and Bouten Construction.