2005-06 - Reading Recovery Council of North America

MESSAGE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
How Donors Met the Challenge
M. Trika Smith-Burke, Development Committee Chair
Private donors help to expand Reading
Recovery resources to reach more
struggling first graders. Education experts
have known for some time that some
children cost more to educate than
others—and early investment pays big dividends in
later achievement. Reading Recovery is cost-effective
because it reduces retention and prevents unnecessary
referral to special education.
The success of the children and the powerful teacher
education are why so many individuals and foundations
have supported Reading Recovery. My heartfelt thanks
to the hundreds of you who supported Reading
Recovery in 2006. Because of your generosity, RRCNA
was able to offer more scholarships for professional
development and to advocate effectively on behalf of
children who need Reading Recovery’s expert teaching.
Philanthropy is the desire to help humanity.
Since 2000, tax-deductible donations to RRCNA have totaled
• more than $350,000 from over 2,700 individual members and friends; and
• more than $1,000,000 from nine corporations and foundations.
These gifts have funded
• 149 scholarships that helped to
— train 77 Reading Recovery teacher leaders in 33 states, 2 Canadian provinces,
and overseas in the Department of Defense Schools;
— provide professional development for 72 Reading Recovery professionals in 24 states,
2 provinces, and Department of Defense Schools;
• advocacy initiatives at the federal and local level to sustain the integrity of Reading Recovery;
and
• electronic and print resources such as the Center for Early Literacy Information.
What is the impact of this generosity?
Hundreds of thousands of struggling readers
in North America have become independent
readers and writers who can benefit from
good classroom teaching and be successful
in school and life.
8 READING RECOVERY COUNCIL OF NORTH AMERICA 2005–2006 ANNUAL REPORT