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Earning by Learning would like to salute our new partners:

The Meyer Levy Charitable Foundation

Jean L. Karotkin

Vickery Meadows Meadows Youth Development Foundation

Lawerence and Sherian Washington Family Foundation


Facts are Our Friends

Research indicates that fewer than one of eight children, who are failing to read at grade level by the end of first grade, will ever catch up to grade-level reading..


The National Statistics are Staggering::

  • Over 40 million Americans, age 16 and older, have significant literacy needs.
  • 75% of unemployed adults have reading or writing difficulties.
  • Among adults with low literacy skills, 43% live in poverty and 17% receive food stamps.
  • American businesses are estimated to lose over $60 billion in productivity each year due to employees lacking basic skills.
  • 75% of prisoners scored in the two lowest literacy levels of the National Adult Literacy Survey. This means that while they have some reading and writing skills, they are not adequately equipped to perform tasks like writing a letter, explaining an error on a credit card bill, or understanding a bus schedule.
  • If literacy levels in the United States were the same as those in Sweden, the US GDP would rise by approximately $463 billion and tax revenues would increase by approximately $162 billion.
  •  (Sources Include: Alliance for excellent Education, 2003e, Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, Digest of Education Statistics, National Alliance of Literacy Coalitions)

Click here to learn about local literacy facts


Dallas has a reason to care... 650,000 reasons! -- Reading Well: Children's Economic Future: Click here to watch video!

Earning by Learning is a phenomenally successful program that has placed America's children on the track to success in the global workplace. The Earning by Learning program is designed to use cash incentives to stimulate children to read. Participants are paid for each book they complete and report on while enrolled in the program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Harvard University Subjects Earning by Learning to a Rigorous Evaluation

Thanks to a generous grant from the Smith-Richardson Foundation, Dr. Roland Fryer and his team at Harvard University are conducting a research study on Earning by Learning. This study will build on, and scientifically estimate, the intuition educators and parents have had for centuries—incentives work!

This fall, Harvard Professor Roland Fryer and his team will subject EBL to a rigorous evaluation. This effort will provide educators with hard evidence that incentive programs can improve learning and achievement.

“We have historically asked low-income urban students to work hard today for the uncertainty of college 10 years from now, with few examples of prior success to guide the way – a standard that children from wealthier families are not asked to meet. We believe incentives can help overcome the limitations of circumstance and provide kids with a short-term spark to do what is in their long-term best interest, “says Dr. Fryer.

The results of the research study, if positive, could very well mark a radical shift in education reform. Strong results would suggest that incentives could help narrow the achievement gap; something that Head Start, bussing, reducing class size, residential location, and curricular reforms have been unable to do.

The study may even spark greater discussion about “teaching to the test” at the expense of creativity and “true” learning. No incentives will be provided by EBL for students to do well on standardized tests, yet, can you imagine if incentives to read improve test scores, independent of a focus on testing. What a day! Accountability advocates, educators, and parents may finally find common strategic ground.

Read more: www.edlabs.harvard.edu/