The racial disparity in literacy proficiency levels in Alachua County is the highest in the state of Florida. According to a study conducted by various local agencies and prepared by the University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) in January 2018, Alachua County has the greatest discrepancy in test scores between white and black students. In reading levels, there is now a 47% disparity, up from 45% at the time of the study. Scroll below to see some more comparisons of student achievement gaps between white students and students of different backgrounds from the Florida Department of Education:
The A+ Plan for Education was authorized by the Florida legislature in 1999, and the A through F grading system for schools was established. The goal of test-based accountability was to track and improve public education by rewarding schools that scored well on tests. After 21 years, the ramifications of this plan are becoming clearer. School grades are used to decide how much and what type of funding a school receives, which does not take into consideration the obstacles faced by disadvantaged students.
For instance, in 2019, out of Alachua County's 20 public elementary schools, four received A's and three received D's, according to Carmen Ward, the president of the Alachua County Education Association. Bonuses were awarded to three of the A schools, all of which are in West Gainesville, but the D schools, all of which are located in East Gainesville, were not given bonuses. Because of their location, many of the schools receiving the A+ bonus already have more resources than lower-graded schools. Although low-performing schools do obtain funding from other sources, such as Title I, it is not enough to bridge the gap.
East Gainesville has the majority of Alachua County's low-grade schools. When compared to schools in West Gainesville, data from the Florida Department of Education suggests that these schools have more children with economic disadvantages and disabilities, as well as more non-native English speakers.
Furthermore, these disparities stem from actions taken at the the Federal, State, and Local level which have prevented people of color from building wealth, and made it easier to push them into poverty.
As a response to the disparity between the East and West Side of Gainesville, local leaders are working to make the city more equitable. One of the working solutions is the Imagine GNV project, which intends to offer initiatives the city may take over the next decade to prioritize citizens who have been historically marginalized in terms of quality of life. Additionally, programs such as The New Worlds Reading Initiative, which is a 270 million dollar investment signed by governor Ron DeSantis, are surfacing to to help students who are not reading on grade level get on the right track.
Enroll in the New Worlds Reading Initiative for K-5, which is a free book delivery program for eligible students and has rolling enrollment to strengthen literacy skills.
Try Great Leaps' 90 Day free trial! Great Leaps is an online tutoring program for students K-12 reading below a fifth grade level to improve student motivation and independent reading.
Join the Beyond the Bell program, which offers free virtual homework help or tutoring after school hours Mondays through Thursdays!
Visit the Gardens on Green, AKA Literacy Garden, to learn about the seeds of education and how they grow, and read some classic stories.
Register for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library through Gainesville Thrives, which delivers a free book once a month to children ages 0-4 to promote early literacy!
Take a look at Gainesville Thrives' list of at home resources or the UF College of Educations' list of activities for students in primary grades to keep education going at home.
Check out the Alachua County Library District calendar to find Story Times, Homework Help sessions, and more activities throughout the county!
Join the Books A Million store team on the first Saturday of the month for storytime and cookies.
Try First UMC High Springs' Kids Club, a free after-school program for kids K-8th grade on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which offers snacks, games, outdoor time, a bible lesson, arts and crafts, and music, and limited transportation.
Learn about 4H Clubs, a nonformal, practical educational program for youth which is part of the University of Florida IFAS, and focuses on science, citizenship, and healthy living.
The city is welcoming community feedback on the drafts of the Imagine GNV policies via survey, email and community meetings. Make sure to take a look and help shape the plan!
Volunteer at the food pantry or tutoring program for the GNV Bridge Literacy Program, which provides consistent one-on-one reading instruction as a response to the large literacy disparities in Gainesville.
Join Reading Pals, a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for students from Pre-K to 3rd grade who may need extra help, and fosters social and cognitive development.
Volunteer for Kids Count, a nonprofit organization that provides a free after school program for kindergarten through 3rd grade students in low-performing elementary schools.
Serve with Gainesville Thrives, which works with local organizations to provide tutoring and mentoring to young students in need, currently over Zoom.
Volunteer for the Friends of the Library (FOL), an all-volunteer non-profit organization with the goal of supporting the Alachua County Library District and its literacy programs.
Get involved with 4H, a UF nonformal program to help youth gain the knowledge and life skills they need to be productive, responsible citizens.