Providence Mayor Delivers Keynote on Grade-Level Reading at United Way Worldwide Conference

Sharing his life story, Taveras says education offers children a path out of poverty.

Delivering a keynote address to an audience of about 100 United Way executives and administrators from across the nation, Mayor Angel Taveras spoke this morning about Providence's efforts to improve grade-level reading.

"Poverty is not an excuse. Poverty is a reality and we need to confront it," said Mayor Taveras, echoing the words of AFT President Randi Weingarten at last month's Education Nation Summit in New York City.

Mayor Taveras delivered one of two keynote addresses at the United Way Worldwide Conference in Alexandria, Virginia, which is focused this year on supporting transformational leadership and mobilizing communities to address early-grade reading and health issues.

Mayor Taveras shared the story of his life growing up in Providence and said his commitment to public education is rooted in his journey from Head Start to Harvard through Providence's public schools.

Discussing the importance of partnerships and collaboration in transforming urban school districts, Mayor Taveras pointed to the efforts of 50 organizations helping to drive change in Providence as part of the mayor's Children and Youth Cabinet - including City Year, Inspiring Minds, Rhode Island Kids Count, the YMCA of Greater Providence, Ready To Learn Providence, the Providence After School Alliance, Children's Friend and Service, and Reach Out and Read. He lauded the volunteer efforts of congregants at East Greenwich, R.I-based Christ Church to tutor students and teach after-school art classes at Providence's Reservoir Avenue School.

The Mayor shared his insights and experience as a leader of Providence's ambitious plan to ensure that more children are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Like many urban cities, Providence's schools face challenges. Forty six percent of third graders in Providence's schools are reading on grade level, and 37 percent of all students were chronically absent last year. Research shows that students who haven't mastered reading by third grade are more likely to struggle academically and drop out of school in future years.

In July, Providence was one of 14 communities across the country to be named an All-America City by the National Civic League for its citywide grade-level reading initiative. In June, Mayor Taveras was honored as a PaceSetter by the national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for his leadership and innovation in addressing the challenges that keep many low-income students from learning to read proficiently.

Providence's designation as an All-America City is one of several national honors the Taveras administration has received for its work with students and youth. In September, Providence was named among the America's Promise Alliance 100 Best Communities for Young People. Earlier this year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation selected Providence as the first site for Evidence2Success, a new approach to investing in programs that promote healthy child development.

Mayor Taveras credited Providence Schools Superintendent Dr. Susan Lusi and Providence Teachers Union President Steve Smith for forging the nation's first school district-labor management partnership. United Providence brings together teachers, parents, students, administrators and school board members to develop and implement reform plans for individual schools.

Mayor Taveras is working with the Providence School Department and Providence Teachers Union to create public charter schools in Providence, and also led an effort to bring Achievement First to Providence.

"Education transformed my life. Education is the path out of poverty for our children," Mayor Taveras said.