It’s time to put Virginia’s kids at the top of your list!
Can you imagine entering kindergarten and already feeling behind? Last year, over 10,000 of Virginia’s kids entered kindergarten not ready.
Right now, many children are so far behind when they start school that they may never catch up, and the statistics are not in their favor.
Sadly enough, third graders who are not reading proficiently are 4x more likely not to graduate from high school. In Virginia, 57% of incoming 4th graders are not reading at grade level.
Did you know that earlier this month, new international rankings revealed that U.S. high school students are falling even further behind their international peers? Out of 65 countries, our students rank 31st in math, 24th in science, and 21st in reading, a downward trend from 2009’s results.
We can do better. Our children deserve better.
The achievement and readiness gaps begin long before a child enters kindergarten. Our state is playing catch up and it is time to think differently about how we are preparing our children. It’s time to take action and get involved! Virginia’s children should be our #1 issue!
So what can YOU do?
- Make a tax-deductible donation to E3 and support our awareness efforts to raise the level of attention to make Virginia’s kids a priority. Click here for giving options.
- Speak out about the issue to city & state leaders, civic groups, etc.
- Write an Op-Ed piece.
- Meet with policymakers & tell them why early education matters to you!
- Calling all parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles! You are a child’s first & most important teacher! Arm yourself with information to help a child that is important to you be ready for school. Check out activities, find tips on quality child care & more! Click the image below to head to our latest parent-building brochure:
- Looking to help your child grow & develop in body, mind & spirit? There’s a guide for that! Grab a copy of the Faithful Beginnings Readiness Guide for your family, congregation, or children’s ministry. Click the image below to download your copy:
- Bring your faith community together to ensure the children in your community receive the care & support they need to succeed & help build a strong foundation for the next generation. Lend your Faithful Voice to strengthen our families & youngest children throughout Virginia today! More details here.
- Learn more about our data-driven & results-oriented strategy to making early education a priority.
- Be in the know when it comes to early education—we can connect you to be part of the national & state conversation.
Put Virginia’s Kids On Your List!