Free ‘Reading Checkup’ tool allows families to track K-4 students’ reading level

On Monday, Read Charlotte announced its partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and more than 60 other local groups to help prevent learning loss this summer for rising kindergarten through fourth grade students.

Through its community-wide initiative, “Reading Checkup,” families are encouraged to determine their child’s reading level using the free online Home Literacy Coach at ReadingCheckup.org.

The program comes on the heels of school closures due to the spread of the coronavirus.

“Thousands of children in Mecklenburg County are at risk of falling behind in reading due to school closures caused by the pandemic,” said Munro Richardson, Read Charlotte executive director. “This ‘COVID-19 Slump’ will be compounded by the traditional ‘Summer Slump’ many children experience during these months.”

A report by McKinsey and Company estimates that the average K-12 student may lose seven months of learning by fall 2020 due to the school closures.

That number increases for students of color, where black students may fall behind by 10.3 months and Hispanic students by 9.2 months.

Low-income students are estimated to fall behind by more than a year.

Read Charlotte teamed up with Learning Ovations, Inc. to ensure that the online resource would not only help families track their student’s reading levels, but also provide at-home activities to keep students engaged and reading over the summer.

“We are committed to guiding families to proven solutions addressing the specific needs of their children and are realistic to manage,” Richardson said. “Getting a reading checkup is the first step in helping our youngest children thrive in these uncertain times.”

Families using the “Reading Checkup” platform will be able to:

• Determine their rising kindergarten through fourth grade students’ reading level by completing two quick online quizzes.
• Identify the specific reading skills their children need to improve.
• Receive recommendations for targeted at-home activities.

To learn more about the “Reading Checkup” initiative, visit ReadingCheckup.org

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