Save the Children Rural Literacy and Nutrition and Physical Activity (NUPA) Programs in Arkansas

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

Save the Children's work in the United States has focused on the most underserved rural communities for 75 years. Its goal is to increase the capacity of local schools and community-based organizations in areas of persistent rural poverty and to provide high quality programs that create lasting, positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children and communities. During the 2008-2009 school year, Save the Children operated six programs in Arkansas in Crittenden, Phillips, St. Francis, and Woodruff counties. Children attending the afterschool literacy programs on average improved their reading skills substantially, demonstrating Normal Curve Equivalency growth of 9.8 or the equivalent of an additional 5.5 months of school. Save the Children will use the federal grant to fund literacy programs at these schools and to expand the services offered, targeting children reading below grade level and are thus at-risk of academic failure. In addition to directly helping children, programs promote sustainable development in partner communities by training parents, paraprofessionals and teachers and by investing in school libraries and educational technology. The goals of the program are: to improve children's reading skills; to increase the percentage of children reading at or above grade level and to help children succeed in school, career and life. The performance measures are: the number of students who enrolled into the program; the number of students who improve their reading scores above the 50% percentile and the number of students who complete the program.
NCA/NCF