Shortly after announcing her three-point plan to improve literacy levels in her 2024 State of the State address, Governor Hochul appeared at the Bronx Children’s Museum to highlight her child care and affordability proposals.
LINC’s Senior Director of Family & Community Engagement and Bronx resident, Albania Jimenez was there and spoke briefly with the Governor about LINC’s work in the field of early literacy.
“LINC knows that the most effective way to improve literacy is to engage the families of young children so that they experience key pre-reading activities and arrive at school ready to learn. We meet local families where they are and connect them with resources that already exist in their communities.”– Albania Jimenez, Senior Director of Family & Community Mobilization
Governor Hochul’s proposals focus on school-age children and instruction, centering around a body of evidence-based research known as the Science of Reading. The families LINC serves have younger children, birth through five, but our family workshops are also aligned with the Science of Reading. The workshops are progressive - layering activities and knowledge that are age-appropriate for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. These workshops not only prepare caregivers and parents for the instructional approach that their child(ren) will experience in the classroom but also empower them to provide support. It’s a universal impulse to want your child(ren) to succeed. LINC builds confidence and provides the tools to position families to be classroom-ready.
While we urge all policy setters to command a broader view of learning to read - one that begins at birth - we are pleased that the Governor recognizes the importance of literacy as a prerequisite for academic success. Investing in our children today is investing in our shared future.
To learn more about LINC and register for our latest workshops, visit: www.lincnyc.org/programs.
