Chattanooga, TN, is one of the cities I profile in my book, Smart Communities. It has a remarkable history of downturn and revival that is a testament to the power of change and civic involvement. Now yet again I am impressed by Chattanooga. The community has established Reading Centers in neighborhoods to encourage and improve reading. Partnerships that include the United Way, local funders, and neighborhood associations have established these centers. This is a great idea and one that we should learn more about.
As many of you know, I hit the ability to read at the early grade levels in my speeches on the dropout crisis. You should take a look at the reading scores in your local schools to get an idea of the extent of the problem on the School Matters website. Schools cannot make up the gap for children often times and thus they are left to try to compete without this essential skill. I think Chattanooga has opened a real window here.
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