Every Child Reading by Third Grade

Goals

1 of 1

$507,000 of $1,000,000

Reaching this goal will support 12 schools this year, ensuring 2,000+ students reach reading proficiency by third grade.

THE CAMPAIGN

Every child reading by the end of third grade.

According to the CA State Assessment, only 41% of 3rd grade students meet state reading standards in Sonoma County.

WHY THIRD GRADE?

Because fourth grade is the pivot point when children shift from learning to read to reading to learn. A child who isn't reading proficiently by then is far more likely to struggle in school and less likely to graduate. Reading is the foundation everything else is built on.

"Literacy is everything. If you show me a third grader who is literate and proficient, you have shown me a future high school graduate." — Dr. Amie Carter, Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools

The K-3 PROFICIENCY PROJECT (K-3PP)

A local literacy program backed by K-3 Innovation, places literacy coaches and trained instructional aides directly in classrooms, delivers structured small-group instruction, and puts real-time data (STAR assessments and the Lexia reading platform) in teachers' hands so they can meet each child exactly where they are. Our single, urgent mission: partner with local schools so that every child reads proficiently by the end of third grade.

“I had a student reading 3 words per minute with grade-level materials. He gained over 600 Lexia units during the school year and ended the year reading almost 60 words per minute.” — K-3PP teacher, first-year implementation school, teacher survey, May 2026

WHY GIVE NOW? Because it works.

K-3 Innovation founders, Marcia and Gary Nelson will match every gift dollar for dollar up to $250,000 from today through December 31st. Each gift brings us closer to our $1 million goal to put a proven reading program within reach for 2,000+ students across twelve schools. "No nonprofit investment offers a greater return to our community than helping a child learn to read." — Gary Nelson, Founder & Board President, K-3 innovation

The investment of helping a child learn to read is modest. The cost of inaction is enormous.

Please make your gift today.

K3 Innovation is a tax-exempt public charity (federal tax ID #852534783). All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. No goods or services were provided in exchange for your generous financial donation.

$25,000 One-Time

Supports a school-site literacy coordinator — the on-the-ground person who makes the program work for every child at a site.

$10,000 One-Time

Supports a teacher training cohort — equipping the educators who touch every child in those critical K-3 years.

$5,000 One-Time

Helps fund weekly reading intervention — from the first day of school to the last.

$2,500 One-Time

Funds a classroom literacy kit and a semester of targeted reading support for one class.

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