” The University of Akron College of Education will receive $3.7 million from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will be dispersed over three years and is to be used for an Early Reading First program. The Early Reading First program, known as Akron Ready Steps is a partnership between the University of Akron and Akron Summit Community Action, Inc.”
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The University of Akron College of Education will receive $3.7 million from the U.S. Department of Education.

The grant will be dispersed over three years and is to be used for an Early Reading First program.

The Early Reading First program, known as Akron Ready Steps is a partnership between the University of Akron and Akron Summit Community Action, Inc.

The program is part of the Good Start, Grow Smart initiative. It is designed to transform current early education programs, such as Head Start, into places that provide high quality education to young children.

Akron Summit Community Action, Inc. is pleased to partner with the College of Education at The University of Akron, Malcolm J. Costa, Akron Summit Community Action, Inc. CEO and president said.

Parents are a very integral part of Head Start; they can volunteer to be on the Head Start Parent Policy Council to enhance early reading. The policy council provides a great opportunity for members of our community to work with the parents of children attending Head Start.

The program, under the direction of UA education professor Lisa Lenhart, aims to increase preschool literacy and will focus on children in low-income neighborhoods.

I am excited to bring this program to Akron area preschoolers, Lenhart says. The program is designed to provide the children with a strong literacy foundation, thus increasing their readiness and opportunities for success when they begin kindergarten.

The Akron Ready Steps program will provide training and support for teachers who serve 300 at risk children in 16 Head Start classrooms throughout Akron. It will organize the community in support of preschool literacy education. The program will also provide teachers with knowledge and skills to foster literacy rich classrooms.

Dr. Lenhart is nationally renowned for her commitment to the professional development of teachers, UA College of Education Dean Mark D. Shermis said. This award reflects the value placed on the research conducted by Dr. Lenhart and her colleagues and is a wonderful opportunity for the Akron community.

Lenhart is also a co-director of the Reading First Ohio Center for Professional Development and Technical Assistance and director of e-Read Ohio. Before working in the university, she taught in Ohio public schools for more than 10 years.

The College of Education has demonstrated exceptional leadership by securing grant funding to improve literacy among Akron preschool children, Dr. Luis M. Proenza said of the program.

We are especially proud of our faculty involved with this project, who continue to train teachers to serve the needs of our community.

Call news writer Andrew Shroades:

330-972-7362

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