- Wake County Public School System
- Information for Community Members
Return to Headlines
Wake County finalist for national award, thanks to WAKE Up and Read
A longstanding and productive partnership with our schools and WAKE Up and Read has garnered national attention!
Wake County has been named as one of 27 finalists for the All-America City Award for exemplary work in helping students from low-income families eliminate barriers to success in later life through this partnership.
The annual All-America City Award is given to communities that exemplify outstanding civic accomplishments. In 2017, the National Civic League and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is recognizing communities that have made measurable progress for low-income children on the key drivers of early reading success.
The WAKE Up and Read campaign was launched in 2012 to increase the number of students reading on grade level by third grade. WAKE Up and Read’s goal is to ensure that all children in our community have the tools and resources they need to become lifelong readers and learners.
The partnership comprises many local businesses and organizations. Funding and support for WAKE Up and Read comes from sources including Triangle Community Foundation, United Way of the Greater Triangle, and Wake County SmartStart.
WAKE Up and Read was recognized as a finalist for its efforts across Wake County to encourage families to read, talk and play with their children and understand the importance of attending school every day.
An awareness campaign and annual book drive (where more than 100,000 books are donated and distributed to the district’s 10 highest percentage free and reduced lunch elementary schools and nearby child care facilities and community centers), WAKE Up and Read helps build home libraries and combat summer learning gaps.
Successes include an increase in school readiness for entering Wake kindergarteners. The percentage of incoming kindergarten students in all Title I elementary schools scoring proficient or above went from 22 percent in 2014–15 to 34 percent in 2016–17.
The All-America City winner will be announced in mid-June.
Wake County has been named as one of 27 finalists for the All-America City Award for exemplary work in helping students from low-income families eliminate barriers to success in later life through this partnership.
The annual All-America City Award is given to communities that exemplify outstanding civic accomplishments. In 2017, the National Civic League and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is recognizing communities that have made measurable progress for low-income children on the key drivers of early reading success.
The WAKE Up and Read campaign was launched in 2012 to increase the number of students reading on grade level by third grade. WAKE Up and Read’s goal is to ensure that all children in our community have the tools and resources they need to become lifelong readers and learners.
The partnership comprises many local businesses and organizations. Funding and support for WAKE Up and Read comes from sources including Triangle Community Foundation, United Way of the Greater Triangle, and Wake County SmartStart.
WAKE Up and Read was recognized as a finalist for its efforts across Wake County to encourage families to read, talk and play with their children and understand the importance of attending school every day.
An awareness campaign and annual book drive (where more than 100,000 books are donated and distributed to the district’s 10 highest percentage free and reduced lunch elementary schools and nearby child care facilities and community centers), WAKE Up and Read helps build home libraries and combat summer learning gaps.
Successes include an increase in school readiness for entering Wake kindergarteners. The percentage of incoming kindergarten students in all Title I elementary schools scoring proficient or above went from 22 percent in 2014–15 to 34 percent in 2016–17.
The All-America City winner will be announced in mid-June.
