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Early literacy (reading and writing) does not mean early reading instruction or teaching babies to read; it is the natural development of skills through the enjoyment of books, the importance of positive interactions between babies and parents, and the critical role of literacy-rich experiences.

Literacy development begins at birth and is closely linked to a baby’s earliest experiences with language, books, and stories. Babies learn language through social literacy experiences - parents interacting with them to read or tell stories. These experiences also associate books with parental affection, attention, and approval.

Reading with or to your child goes beyond simply reading the words on the page. You can point to the pictures and ask them what they think is happening, ask them to identify objects or colors, pause to clarify new words, ask how they think the characters in the story feel, or what they think might happen next. All of these build language comprehension skills, an essential part of literacy.

The Scarborough Reading Rope provides an overview of the skills that early readers need to master to be successful.

Strong literacy skills directly impact school and life success. Children who master early literacy skills are more likely to have success in reading, writing, and other areas of academic performance. They are more likely to attend college, have better job opportunities, and make more money throughout the course of their careers. Kids with higher literacy skills are also more likely to report they feel empowered to find information they need and make decisions independently.

Our Priorities

Reading Proficiency

Studies show that children who are not reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade are likely to stay behind grade level through 5th grade. This severely limits the ability to read for content and comprehension across all subjects. Those with lower reading skills are more likely to struggle academically in school, have behavior issues, and are less likely to graduate than their peers with higher reading levels.

This chart shows the percentage of 3rd grades reading at or above proficiency level by school. 2019 is the last year of testing before COVID-19, which severely impacted kids' early literacy and learning. Those students who entered kindergarten in the 2019-2020 school year may have spent several months in an online learning environment and experienced long absences due to COVID-19 protocols. Those students are represented in the 2023 reading scores as 3rd graders. Many schools in Bulloch County are still working to improve scores to 2019 levels.

Education & Literacy

Child Literacy Research

Studies show that children who are not reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade are likely to stay behind grade level through 5th grade. This severely limits their ability to read for content and comprehension across all subjects.

  • Access to quality early childhood education
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Parental involvement in building and supporting literacy skills, like reading aloud
  • A home environment that has access to books and other learning materials
  • Regular school attendance
  • Speech, hearing, or vision impairments
  • Diagnosed or undiagnosed learning difficulties (e.g., ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Processing disorders, etc.)
Education & Literacy

Online and Community Resources

Boys & Girls Club of Bulloch County

The Boys & Girls Club of Bulloch County's mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. They offer care for children after school, during school breaks, and 8 weeks during the summer. During this time, children can participate in programs to promote literacy, leadership development, visual & performing arts, health & life skills, and recreation & fitness. Download the application to enroll your child here.

Bulloch County Literacy Council

The Bulloch County Literacy Council is a collaborative group of educators, representatives from literacy organizations, business and civic organization leaders, and community volunteers. Its purpose is to sustain a community collaborative that works to increase Kindergarten readiness for students from birth through Pre-Kindergarten and to support the improvement of literacy levels for all children in Kindergarten through fifth grade. The Literacy Council's Bulloch READ initiatives aim to achieve the following in schools, homes, and the community: encourage reading through the creation of reading nooks, foster a literacy-rich environment, increase access to books and reading resources, and promote early brain development.

Ferst Readers

Ferst Readers' mission is "strengthening communities by providing quality books and literacy resources for children and their families to use at home during the earliest stages of development. Children in the Ferst Readers literacy program receive a FREE bookstore-quality, age-specific book and resources mailed to them at home every month until their fifth birthday. This access to print helps create a language-rich environment in the home.

Restoring the Breach

Restoring the Breach's mission is to provide light in darkness by uplifting the poor in spirit and rebuilding the community, thus raising the foundations of many generations. As part of this effort, Restoring the Breach provides the "ME" First Tutoring Program for K-12 students who need extra help in reading or other subjects. Tutoring is available at the Statesboro Public Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Please register for tutoring in advance.

Statesboro-Bulloch County Library

The Statesboro-Bulloch County Library offers various programs and services to get kids excited about reading and develop early literacy skills. Library cards and all library programs are FREE, including specific story time hours for babies and toddlers, STEM and crafts for older kids, and the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. To learn more about specific monthly events, see the events calendar.

Statesboro Village Builders Initiative

The Statesboro Village Builders aims to be a community-wide youth development program that offers a comprehensive approach to ensure that all youth in Statesboro and their families have support in becoming the best version of themselves. Goals include workforce development, youth civic engagement, and early childhood literacy, as well as a range of programs that support successful life outcomes for all Statesboro youth. Check out their events calendar to find upcoming Family Fun Resource Days, which include valuable information about local programs and services to benefit families, as well as entertainment, games, music, free food, and free books for readers of all ages.