K-3 Classrooms Receive Leveled Library with a Target Grant

All K-3 Classrooms Receive Leveled Libraries Thanks to $100k Target Corp. Grant

Leveled Libraries Help Elevate Students to Reading Proficiency

LOS ANGELES, CA (Sept. 24, 2012) – The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from Target Corp. to purchase leveled libraries for all of its six elementary schools, impacting thousands of elementary students.

Leveled libraries provide students with a variety of preselected books that are grouped by reading level. Leveled libraries are a proven way to build student fluency and comprehension skills by offering books that are at a student’s specific learning level versus a one size fits all approach.

Providing texts for students at their independent reading level has shown to increase student reading fluency. It also greatly mitigates the frustration some students feel when assigned a book beyond their reading capabilities, which could eventually lead to disengagement and poor performance. Through this program, the Partnership hopes to set the foundation for student literacy and provide teachers with the tools they need to engage their students effectively.

The project was inspired by the Partnership’s Ritter Elementary School, which due to severe budget cuts last year had to eliminate funding for their librarian, who had assigned level-appropriate books to students during library visits. Having lost their librarian, Principal Charlene Green decided to provide leveled libraries in classrooms to meet the needs of students and teachers. The libraries have been a tremendous help to students and teachers, which prompted the Partnership to launch the program network-wide.    

The grant from Target will be used to provide leveled reading starter kits for more than 100 classrooms and professional development to support teachers on how to effectively use the libraries through techniques of differentiated instruction.