Education Results
Born Learning: Improving Education From Birth
Born Learning is a United Way Strategic Initiative that works with local agencies, childcare providers, clinics, and libraries throughout the region to distribute pamphlets, dvds, and information kits to parents, caregivers, and others in the community. These help provide a loving and safe environment for children and better engage with them so that everyday moments, like a walk down the street or a visit to a grocery store, become rich learning opportunities for children from birth to the age of five.
“I have found the Born Learning materials to be a valuable addition and supplement to the curriculum I teach at the grads program of Evergreen High School, which helps pregnant and parenting students stay in school until graduation. Students have found the material easy to understand and fun to read. I particularly appreciate the pamphlets titled ‘Ten Simple Ways to Encourage Learning’ and ‘The playbook’ that give my students practical, easy to implement suggestions to help their children be ready to learn.”
—From Grads Program at Evergreen High School
Why it’s Needed
Twenty percent of children entering kindergarten lack the skills to learn successfully—and, at this young age, the adults in their lives are key to setting them up for later success in school and life.
What it Achieved
- More than 15,000 families and 400 community agencies have received Born Learning’s information and materials increasing their ability to support more than 21,000 children in their earliest learning.
- 500 Spanish speakers received Spanish-language versions.
- 114 families were connected to 152 health care professionals.
- Of the parents and childcare professionals surveyed, 87% said they gained knowledge about how to make fun learning opportunities out of everyday moments through the program — and 94% of the parents now read to their child daily or almost daily, up from 72% before receiving the materials.
For more Education Results, please review the United Way Community Impact Results report.