The NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative: Blazing A Trail In Literacy Ecosystems

All In On A Big Bet

In 2014, a visionary institutional funder asked: what would happen if we committed consistent support for a group of literacy organizations within specific neighborhoods where literacy outcomes were particularly dire? The hypothesis was bold: if these groups could each leverage their strengths doing what they do best, in coordination with one another, and were able to count on consistent funding support year to year to promote effective planning and implementation, then the children in these communities should show literacy growth. Right?

It was a big bet, and one that required a significant investment of resources, a belief in the strength of established and outcome-driven organizations, and a confidence that a group of nonprofits, schools, and other community partners can organize their work in concert with one another. An understanding of the importance of science-backed literacy interventions was a given, as well as an embedded focus on culturally responsive, community-grounded approaches.

This is how the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative was born. A collaboration of grantee partners thrived for 7 years in 2 high-needs communities in New York City, South Jamaica and East New York, supported by The Pinkerton Foundation, and then expanded into a third community, East Harlem, with complementary support from the Carmel Hill Fund who joined the effort in 2021. These two likeminded funders have remained unwavering in their commitment to youth literacy improvement, and in a belief in their grantees to make a difference – together – in these three neighborhoods.

Weaving the Work Together

“The Carmel Hill Fund holds the belief that advancing literacy outcomes for all young people in NYC requires a holistic effort that harnesses and unites the power of home, school and community. The NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative partners share that belief and work tirelessly every day to facilitate meaningful literacy experiences that not only foster reading competence, but also confidence, connection, and community, while also advocating for policies and practices that will drive change for our city.”

— Tarilyn (T) Little, Program Officer, Youth Literacy, The Carmel Hill Fund

Collectively, the institutions involved in the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative improve literacy outcomes by leveraging the power of parent and family engagement; activating the strengths and influence of childcare providers, pediatricians, teachers, and empowered high school student tutors; building on the value of out of school time programming; and connecting schools, libraries, businesses, community centers, and cultural institutions in a network of literacy focused, science-based interventions. The Queens, Brooklyn, and New York Public Libraries; Reach Out and Read; Parent Child Plus; Literacy in Community (LINC); Springboard; City Year; Reading Partners; and Read Alliance; 10 public elementary schools across the three neighborhoods; and facilitator ExpandEd are all interwoven in their efforts to overlay communities with supports that promote and elevate early literacy and a love of reading.

The Bet Pays Off

So, was the original hypothesis correct?

A look at the outcomes reveals a resounding YES. The NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative improved student reading outcomes while also strengthening the broader literacy support system. By bringing together schools, libraries, healthcare providers, families, and community organizations, it created a more coordinated and accessible network of resources for children and families across three neighborhoods.

Since 2014, more than 170,000 children received literacy enrichment support or participated in early literacy activities in the local libraries in each of these three neighborhoods, and another nearly 8,000 children who were struggling to read received one-on-one curriculum-based literacy instruction or tutoring in the participating schools or in after school programs. More than 31,000 families engaged in community programs and events and nearly 14,000 parents and caregivers participated in workshops or training sessions about how to support their children’s early literacy. Nearly 1,500 families were served by more than 8,000 home visitations that support early literacy through language development and age-appropriate books and toys. More than 2,600 educators, tutors, volunteers, and pediatricians were trained in early literacy development and/or strategies to support young children’s literacy skills.

According to an external evaluation conducted by Julie Poncelet, PhD., Founder of @the Corner of Learning and Action, on the 10-year impact of the Initiative, all 3 neighborhoods experienced significant gains. With more than 300,000 free, new, and age-appropriate books distributed across the three neighborhoods, increased access to literacy materials is one of the most transformational deliverables of this ecosystem work. Furthermore, 100% of the elementary school principals participating in every neighborhood in this Initiative say that the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative had a positive impact on the literacy development of their students, and 85% of all participating principals in all 3 neighborhoods attribute higher test scores to the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative.

To truly understand the impact at schools in particular, a closer look at the neighborhood where the collaborative has worked together the longest and most consistently, South Jamaica, is most illuminating. Among the learnings taken from a draft report compiled by ExpandEd:

• Schools in the neighborhood initiative outpaced New York City literacy gains. In 2018, 31% of students at PS 40Q in South Jamaica were proficient in English. In 2025, that percentage jumped to 77%. Similarly, P.S. 48Q went from 41% proficient in 2018 to 59% in 2025. At PS 160Q, 32% jumped to 63%. These outpaced the district’s 14.5 percentage point jump, and the city, which went from 47 to 59, a 12-point jump.
• Schools in the neighborhood initiative had higher impact scores than the district. Impact scores are a strong indicator of how well a school supports learners because they measure growth rather than performance. Schools that improve proficiency will have higher impact scores than schools that maintain proficiency. The three participating schools in South Jamaica had an average impact score of 0.59. The elementary average in the district was 0.53 and the citywide average was 0.50.
• According to the Initiative’s 10-year evaluation report, conducted by the Initiative’s external evaluator, Julie Poncelet, school and nonprofit staff reported that the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative improved and sustained the literacy culture in schools. 100% of participating principals reported that children made reading gains and improved their literacy skills as a result of the Initiative’s programs. 75% of school staff observed more children reading at school, with greater confidence, which they credit the Initiative for fostering. Principals, parent coordinators, and partners described in focus groups a greater emphasis on reading and related activities within schools. They observed that more students read and discuss books they enjoy with peers and adults alike.

One school principal, in describing the impact of the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative told Poncelet, “I think it’s building community, it’s building literacy…I see kids that are reading that didn’t read in kindergarten that have gone to [program] and I hear them in class being proud of themselves because they really struggled…Between what we do and what [NYC Reads Initiative] does and what home does and you see that light go on…” The principal’s comments capture the essence of the ecosystem – the lacing together of programs with instruction that fortify and complement learning, a love and appreciation for books, and a willingness to incorporate reading and literacy into everyday activities.

Secrets to the Success of the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative

The 10-year report demonstrates significant outcomes for students and communities overall – outcomes that can provide a strong example about the power of effective “ecosystems” that are sustainably funded, coordinated with intentionality and cooperation, and staffed by organizations and teams dedicated to excellence in literacy programming in various settings.

What makes the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative so special and so effective is the trust, the coordination, and the organization that was necessary to instill between and among the partners. Each funded organization was supported and empowered by the funders to do what they do best, and in so doing, built a network among themselves that leveraged each organization’s expertise and model. This network of nonprofits was organized by a facilitator organization that provided structure for the network’s meetings; guided the group of nonprofits into formulating mutually agreeable timelines and expectations of one another; and helped build trust between and among the organizations as well as within the community and with the school-based partners. The job of facilitation was and is critical to keeping the mission and goals of the Initiative centered, first by Literacy in Community (LINC) and then transitioned to ExpandEd.

“What has been most inspiring about the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative is watching so many dedicated partners come together with a shared commitment to children and families. Over the years, these organizations have not only expanded literacy opportunities across their neighborhoods, but have also learned from one another, strengthened one another’s work, and built a true community of practice. Their collective effort is a powerful example of how collaboration can create lasting impact for children and communities alike.”

— Danielle Pulliam, Senior Program Officer, The Pinkerton Foundation

Ecosystems Gaining Steam

The Columbia Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL), defines a literacy ecosystem as a “system of systems” or an intentional network that connects schools, out-of-school programs, families, libraries, healthcare providers, early childhood centers, city agencies, philanthropy, and communities.

Collaboration and coordination between the partners, facilitation teams, schools, and other community-based organizations are the heart of the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative. Early focus was on partner cohesion and quality implementation. All stakeholders are aligned on the importance of sustainability.

In 2025, the NYC Reads Together Literacy Ecosystem was established as a complement to NYCPS’s NYC Reads to highlight the importance of multiple systems intersecting in support of the common literacy goal. The "ecosystem” initiative is intended to bring funders, nonprofits, and literacy experts together to better synthesize strategies that complement the city’s focus on evidence-based reading instruction. By 2035, NYCPS intends to achieve the goal of all school-aged youth in New York City to be fully literate (able to read, write, listen, and speak in ways that allow them to achieve their goals and develop their knowledge and potential). NYCPS’ understanding that this goal is only achievable by weaving together the networks that support classroom instruction is a step forward, and one that builds on the success already observed in the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative which was work that was started more than a decade ago by The Pinkerton Foundation and sustained and expanded by the Carmel Hill Fund.

One of the defining aspects of the successful “ecosystem,” as described by CPRL, are that each partner, or entity, already plays a vital role in children’s literacy on its own and the ecosystem then connects, aligns, and reinforces their efforts around shared outcomes so that every child becomes a confident reader and writer. The intrinsic value of each partner entity is embedded within the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative and was leveraged to elevate the whole.

CPRL further elaborates that when these entities work together sharing data, language, goals, and activities to create coherent, joyful, and powerful literacy experiences across every part of a child’s day and life, a successful ecosystem develops. This togetherness, this trust, this mutual respect and support, is at the core of what has made the NYC Reads Neighborhood Initiative a trailblazer in the literacy ecosystem space, and one that can be referenced and modeled as NYCPS and other districts set their sights on strategies to improve reading skills everywhere.

Tarilyn (T) Little from the Carmel Hill Fund remarked, “This collaborative understands that making NYC a place where all young readers can thrive requires shared vision, meaningful collaboration, and intentional coordination by those who care about youth literacy in our city and put that understanding into action. It is a true privilege to see the impact in real time.”