District to use $3.5M grant to boost reading

Newport-Mesa Unified school board members on Tuesday approved a $3.5-million grant, which will be distributed between Whittier and Pomona preschools over the next three years to boost reading programs. The schools were two of only 32 across the country to receive the grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

“This is very exciting for us,” said Newport-Mesa Supt. Jeff Hubbard. “This is quite an accomplishment.”

The money will improve programs already in place at the schools, enhancing language, cognitive and early reading skills for preschool-aged children.

The programs aren’t designed to teach 3-year-old students how to read, but helps prepare them for when they are ready. For instance, it will help educators acquire more age-appropriate books and have “early literacy” coaches available to help teachers.

The staff, which will now include a full-time project coordinator, will expand the kids’ oral development, phonological awareness, such as rhyming, blending and segmenting words, as well as improving their knowledge of the alphabet.

District officials say the program does not “track” students; rather a screening assessment embedded in the research will be able to identify children who could be at risk for reading failures.

Studies show that once a kid falls behind in reading, often he or she has a great deal of trouble catching up.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].