Supporting Early Readers

In Philadelphia, civic and education leaders have identified early literacy programming as critical for overall education improvement. Charter schools enroll about one third of all public school students in Philadelphia. This study seeks to understand how Philadelphia charter schools support their early readers and writers, in order to contribute to knowledge-sharing across schools and identify areas for investment.

Researchers asked charter school representatives to describe their literacy programming, the strengths and challenges of their chosen program, and the additional resources that would most help their school’s literacy program. Findings from these interviews provide a view of the landscape of early literacy instructional practices in Philadelphia charter schools.