We know that reading and literacy are big issues for Escambia County. An analysis of FCAT grades over the past five years shows that the Escambia County Public School District struggles with reading.
In 2007, Judge John Parnham chaired an initiative – Every Child Can Read Escambia – to attack the problem. ECARE had two measurable goals:
- All children entering Kindergarten in the Escambia County School District in 2011 will be ready for Kindergarten as measured by then current standards.
- When achieved, this will lead to all third graders in the Escambia County School District testing as proficient on the reading portion of FCAT by 2014 as measured by then current standards.
They raised $87,200 in 2007 and another $136,301 in 2008. According to a viewpoint by Parnham that was published in the daily newspaper in March 2007, “almost 23 percent of the kindergartners in Escambia are not ready to learn how to read” and “approximately 28 percent of our third-graders are not reading at a minimally proficient level, and failed the reading portion of the FCAT.”
Parnham wrote that the magnitude of the problem required a long-term commitment from everyone. “The effects of illiteracy are so significant that we cannot afford to wait for others to do something about it. We must act now!”
In November 2010, the Independent News tried to get an update on ECARE after its first four years of operations, but its board members never seemed to have time to meet with our reporter. As many of our readers know, when people aren’t forthcoming with information then there usually is something worth investigating.
What the IN found was that ECARE has spent $183,604 of the total $235, 984 raised from 2007-2009 — about 78 percent of total receipts –and is nowhere near reaching its goals. Most of the money went to salaries, legal fees and other non-profits.
The Florida Department of Education has the Florida Assessments for Instruction In Reading (FAIR) for all entering Kindergarten students. The percentage of incoming students not ready for reading has gotten worse:
2008-09 Percentage not ready: 25%
2009-10 Percentage not ready: 37%
It is doubtful that ECARE will improve that percentage by next August with its remaining $53K.
There has been no improvement in the reading FCAT scores for third graders. The scores are relatively flat:
Percentage below 3:
2006-07: 28%
2007-08: 29%
2008-09: 28%
2009-10: 30%
Does anyone want to take bets on what the FCAT reading score will be for 2010-11? I’ll be optimistic and pick 28%.
Where did the ECARE money go? The largest single expenditure is $50,886 for an executive director, followed by $44,252 for legal and $40,000 for Early Learning Coalition (which begs the question – why form a new non-profit if the money is going to be given to another non-profit?)
| Every Child Can Read Escambia | |
| Income Statement | |
| From Sept. 2007- Dec. 2009 | |
| RECEIPTS | |
| Contributions | $Â Â Â 232,783 |
| Interest income | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 3,201 |
| Total receipts | $Â Â Â 235,984 |
| EXPENDITURES | |
| Advertising | $Â Â Â Â 10,988 |
| Appleseeds Event | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,377 |
| Books | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 9,999 |
| Conferences | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 2,047 |
| Diapers to Doors | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 4,442 |
| Grant: Early Learning Coalition | $Â Â Â Â 40,000 |
| Embroidery: Iliteracy is an Injustice | $Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 240 |
| Fees & Dues | $Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 386 |
| Legal | $Â Â Â Â 44,252 |
| Other | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 6,007 |
| Professional fees | $Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 578 |
| Salary | $Â Â Â Â 50,886 |
| Supplies | $Â Â Â Â Â Â 1,638 |
| Taxes | $Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 220 |
| Travel | $Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 530 |
| Grant: Wee Read, ECSD | $Â Â Â Â 10,014 |
| Total expenditures | $Â Â Â 183,604 |
| Fund balance | $Â Â Â Â 53,013 |
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Now United Way of Escambia County appears to be taking over the mission of ECARE. We got this press release last week:
United Way of Escambia County has announced a new grant opportunity designed to accelerate breakthrough progress within the community priority of education.
The grant will award up to $100,000 to one or more programs, renewable for up to three years. Funds available for this grant are above and beyond those that United Way of Escambia County allocates through the annual review/allocation process and donor designations.
To be eligible, applying programs must demonstrate ability to help the community meet the goal of increasing the percentage of proficient 3rd grade readers by 3 percent per year. The indicator is one measurement used by United Way of Escambia County to measure how well our community is helping children be more prepared to succeed in school.
Based on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, only 71 percent of Escambia County third graders were proficient readers in 2008. United Way of Escambia County has set a goal to increase this percentage to 100 percent by 2018 (3 percent per year).
The process for submitting a proposal begins by submitting an Application of Interest by April 15. Notification of eligibility for Phase 2 will be made by April 18.
Phase 2 will consist of a mandatory funding workshop and submission of a formal grant application. Those who are selected for Phase 3 will host a site visit and conduct an oral presentation to the Selection Committee. Site visits allow the volunteers to observe actual service delivery sites and get a better sense of the programs they are evaluating.
Evaluation will be based on how well the program will help the community meet the goal of increasing the percentage of proficient 3rd grade readers by 3 percent per year.
The program(s) selected will be announced in June.
For information on how to apply for these funds, contact Rob Engel at (850) 444-7140 or rob@unitedwayescambia.org or visit www.UnitedWayEscambia.org .