Literacy in Nashville – what you can do to help

International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on September 8. This day is dedicated to the importance of reading and writing for everyone around the globe. It’s also a chance for businesses and organizations to reflect on how they can boost the literacy rates in their community.

According to the Nashville Adult Literacy Council, one in eight Nashville residents is unable to read. 

Data from 2003 gathered by the U.S. Department of Education estimated 12% of Davidson County residents lack basic literacy skills. The illiteracy rate for Tennessee was estimated at 13% for this same research.

Furthermore, as Nashville’s immigrant population expands, many people need to learn English to function and contribute more fully in our community.

Many of our member organizations are working to boost literacy and education rates in Nashville. Here is a look at some of the amazing work they are doing in our region.

Child literacy

Literacy begins in childhood. If children do not gain the necessary reading and writing skills early on, they are more likely to struggle throughout their education and later career. In fact, research shows that students who aren’t reading on grade level in third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Currently, only 34% of Davidson County students are reaching this benchmark.

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has developed a plan, along with community and business leaders, to improve these metrics in third graders. The Blueprint for Early Childhood Success aims to double the number of third graders reading on grade level by 2025. 

Reading help doesn’t have to stop in the classroom. The Nashville Public Library was a key partner in the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success and also contributes to early childhood literacy through their Read to Rise program that encourages parents to read to their children every day from birth through age 5. Furthermore, NPL hosts the NPL Summer Challenge to encourage students, and people of all ages, to read during their summer break.

Both United Way of Metropolitan Nashville and YMCA of Middle Tennessee have developed programs for boosting childhood literacy. United Way’s Read to Succeed program serves Nashville’s most at-risk preschoolers with targeted literacy and social-emotional skills, which research has shown will improve their chances of reading on grade level in third grade. YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s Y-Literacy program offers free, one-on-one tutoring to students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

Book’em serves another need for students struggling with literacy: book ownership. Book’em gets books into students’ hands by partnering with other area nonprofits and community organizations that serve economically disadvantaged student that, statistically, struggle more with literacy. Their Reading is Fundamental program also puts volunteers into area elementary schools to serve as reading role models.

Another Nashville organization working to increase readership among children in low-income areas is Ride for Reading. According to research, the ratio of books per child in low-income neighborhoods is 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children. To combat this issue, Ride for Reading's volunteers deliver age-appropriate books via bicycle to children at Title 1 schools. Volunteers also speak to the children about the importance of a healthy life and literacy – and describe the various types of bikes ridden by the volunteers (mountain, road, commuter, tandem, etc.).

Southern Word provides even more support once students have mastered basic literacy. Their spoken word, music and songwriting workshops and residencies increase student interest in poetry and writing by putting mentors into the classroom, which encourages creative use of language. This can boost reading and writing skills to help prepare students for college and their future career.

Adult literacy

Literacy is a crucial skill necessary for full participation in the Nashville region’s economy and job market. However, literacy is not a black and white skill. There are many levels to literacy, including what’s known as functional literacy which describes individuals that are able to perform basic tasks like locating the expiration date on their driver’s license, but not more complex tasks like using a bus schedule.

Research shows that nearly 60% of adults in the “below basic” literacy level with full-time employment earned less than $500 per week in 2003.

When adults have higher literacy levels, they are able to perform jobs with higher skill levels. There are plenty of organizations working to increase the literacy levels of adults in Middle Tennessee, including the Nashville Adult Literacy Council (NALC). Each year, the NALC serves 1,700 adult learners including native English speakers and immigrant adults who are learning English as a second language.

Another organization working to improve adult literacy it the Nashville Public Library (NPL), part of the Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County. NPL adult literacy supports work in this area by providing information, resources and professional development opportunities to organizations that serve adult learners.

The Center for Literacy, Education & Employment (CLEE) at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, which has an office in Nashville as well, also focuses on providing services that increase adult literacy, along with many other functions. Their literacy work includes developing teacher training and curriculum for those who teach adult learners. In Nashville, the CLEE mainly works with employers to help promote employment for people with disabilities.

Nonprofit and government organizations aren’t the only ones promoting literacy in our region. Dollar General provides education and literacy resources and opportunities to their employees, employees’ families and the communities they serve.

Here at the Chamber, part of our work includes partnering with the Middle Tennessee Reconnect Community to encourage workers to pursue postsecondary education. This wouldn’t be possible without the work other organizations do to bring literacy skills to our region.

Does your business provide services in this area? Contact Carly Vaughn to be included in this article