Raising a Reader Project

Overview

Dr. Jason Anthony is the principal investigator of the study “Promoting School Readiness and Literacy-rich Home Environments through the Texas Early Education Model and Raising a Reader”.

The primary goal of this project is to determine the effectiveness of a school-based book exchange program, called Raising a Reader (http://www.raisingareader.org/), and a school-based parent educational program, called Family Nights. These programs aim to improve the school readiness of 3- and 4-year-old children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by increasing the frequency and quality of language and literacy activities in children's homes. Nearly 2000 children and families in Houston will participate between 2006 and 2009. The programs’ impacts on short-term school readiness outcomes and long-term scholastic achievement will be examined. Child outcomes expected to improve from participation in Raising a Reader and Parent Nights include oral language, emergent literacy, and interests in language and literacy activities. Parent outcomes expected to improve from participation include knowledge of language and literacy development, frequency of language and literacy activities engaged in the home with their children, frequency of library visits with their children, and amount of literacy materials in the home.

To learn more about the programs or see if your preschool is eligible to participate, contact one of our Raising a Reader coordinators.