Amanda and Vickie are excited to bring you the panel discussion, “Building the Bridge Between Reading Literacy and the Consequences of Falling Behind” from October 24th, and which raised nearly $13,000. This money will be used towards providing free legal services to 24 families.

Panelists discuss what happens when literacy education fails, what happens when kids fall through the cracks and the mental health impact of this.

Special shoutout to Sandra and Roger, whose family wasn’t able to make the event but were major donors to the event, Fusion Academy, a title sponsor and co-hosts, the panelists, sponsors, and the nearly 100 attendees. Thank you all for helping to make this the success that it was!

Be sure to listen for a special announcement about the Inclusive Education Project!

Show Highlights:

• Vanessa Kayrell, Head of School at Fusion Academy in Mission Viejo, introduces the panelists: Robin Podway, Head of School at Fusion Academy in Huntington Beach; Dr. George Tucker, a clinical psychologist and author of Problem Children: It’s Not Always the Parents’ Fault; Cathy Johnson, Founder of the Johnson Academy; Dr. Ellis Crasnow, Director of STEM³ Academy and STEM Education for The Help Group; and Javier Arguello, Founder and Executive Director of COGx.
• Statistics from the National Assessment of Educational Progress are presented:
  • 1/3 of 4th graders are proficient in reading.
  • 2/3 of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare.
  • 1 in 4 children in America grow up without learning how to read.
  • Students who don’t read proficiently by the 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school.
  • As of 2011, America was the only free-market country where the current generation was less educated than the previous one.
  • Nearly 85% of the juveniles who faced court in the juvenile system are functionally illiterate, proving that there’s a close relationship between illiteracy and crime.
  • 53% of 4th graders admitted to reading recreationally almost every day, while only 20% of 8th graders could say the same.
  • 75% of Americans who receive food stamps perform at the lowest two levels of literacy.
  • 90% of high school dropouts are on welfare.
  
  
• Panelists discuss the inspiration for their work and what drives them:
  • How top universities have known so much about cognitive neuroscience for many years, but school systems are not using the science.
  • The rolling out of a platform for global, professional development for educators in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Working in the prison systems and seeing the illiteracy there. Also, what can we do with the idea that our brains continue to develop up until about age 26?
  • Building on strengths and helping them before they fall through the cracks.
  
  
• Panelists cover:
  • approaches that bring success: what we can do differently
  • technology as a learning tool
  • strength-based learning
  • intervention through social policy
  • remediation strategies
  
  
• Panelists explore:
  • when kids learn ok, but their social learning and body awareness is not ok: what we can do to help them
  • addressing anxiety and depression issues
  • the impact of “learned helplessness”
  • Ways that we can advocate for our own kids and make a difference in the lives of those we impact on a daily basis.
  
  
• BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Victoria Lucero, a former law clerk with the Inclusive Education Project, is now an Associate Attorney (she passed the BAR!). The Inclusive Education Project is expanding into New Mexico, where Victoria will be taking it, and will be offering affirmative immigration services.

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