- Students are encouraged to read one hour daily and share their progress on social media.
- The effort comes after the district's English proficiency scores dropped.
- Watch the video to find out when SAC meetings are held.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Reading is fundamental, and Jefferson County K-12 School is making it a top priority
“What better way to know what your kid is doing than to sit down and read the book with them?”
I’m Lentheus Chaney, your Monticello neighborhood reporter. I'm taking a look at how school leaders and neighbors are tackling literacy struggles and helping students write a brighter future.
At Jefferson K-12, English proficiency scores have dropped over the past three years. The score measures how well students read and write. Back in 2021, 17% of students met state reading standards. That number has fallen to just 7%, while the statewide average remains at 17%.
To turn things around, the School Advisory Council launched “Jefferson Reads.” The initiative encourages students to read at home for one hour every night, then post a picture on social media with the hashtag #JeffersonReads.
Marlon Ball, the school’s new principal, says the key to boosting test scores starts at home. “What I wanted to do is create a county-wide initiative, which is asking that parents make sure kids are reading for one hour a day in order to build vocabulary, stamina, and fluency,” Ball said.
The School Advisory Council, which meets the first Tuesday of every month, consists of parents, teachers, business owners, and community and church leaders.
“The purpose of the School Advisory Council is to allow community members to come together and give input that impacts the school directly,” Ball said.
The biggest impact on a student’s success starts at home with their parents. Shaundra Buggs, an active SAC member with a student graduating this year, agrees.
“Jefferson Reads, I think it’s going to bring back that nostalgic feel of picking up a book, reading, highlighting, understanding, and having your own imagination created from the things that you read,” Buggs said.
Buggs says consistency is key, and parents, teachers, and students all have to work together to improve test scores. In Monticello, Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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