March 31, 2023

How to support city student learning: Reading Partners Baltimore | READER COMMENTARY

Originally published by The Baltimore Sun 

Dan Rodricks’ recent column (”Dan Rodricks: Fox45 ignores context on Baltimore’s post-pandemic test scores,” March 3) as well as Roberta E. Sabin’s letter to the editor about Baltimore City Public Schools’ test scores (”This retired teacher wants to help tutor city students. Any takers?” March 10) illustrate a key question: What can community members do to support our city’s future leaders?

My answer: Volunteer with evidence-based programs proven to support student learning.

As the executive director of Reading Partners, a children’s literacy nonprofit providing one-on-one tutoring to Baltimore elementary school students, volunteering is the heart of our program. It’s how we’re able to serve hundreds of students each year, create trusting relationships between students and adults and build lifelong readers. And oftentimes that volunteering starts with Roberta’s simple sentiment: “I’m eager to help.”

I’d encourage any community member upset by the educational inequities in our city, those only widened by the pandemic, to use their time toward empowering students. Join Reading Partners or other organizations across the city in this important work because we know that literacy is not just the gateway to educational excellence but to excellence throughout each facet of life.