ABQ Reads helps Albuquerque students improve literacy – KOAT

Report on ABQ Reads: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals Through Community-Based Literacy Initiatives

Program Overview and Mission

• ABQ Reads, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1984 by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.
• The program was established as a strategic response from the local business community to support and advance education reform.
• Its core mission is to improve literacy skills for struggling students by providing targeted, one-on-one tutoring to children in kindergarten and first grade.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The operational framework and outcomes of ABQ Reads directly contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a primary focus on the following goals:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education: The program’s fundamental purpose is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education. By improving foundational reading skills in early childhood, it directly addresses Target 4.6, which aims to ensure all youth and a substantial proportion of adults achieve literacy.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By focusing on students who are struggling, ABQ Reads actively works to reduce educational inequalities within the community. This intervention supports Target 10.2 by promoting the social and economic inclusion of all, beginning with equitable educational opportunities.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The program exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership as outlined in Target 17.17. It represents a successful collaboration between the private sector (Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce), civil society (the non-profit organization and its volunteers), and the public education system.

Quantifiable Impact and Outcomes Supporting SDG 4

Since its tutoring initiatives began in 2003, ABQ Reads has generated significant, measurable improvements in educational outcomes.

• There was a 25% decrease in the number of students reading at the lowest proficiency level by the end of the school year.
• Concurrently, a 22% increase was recorded in the number of students reading at proficient levels.
• Participating students typically advanced between two and four reading levels over the course of a school year.
• To foster a culture of lifelong learning, each student received up to 20 books to establish a personal home library, further supporting the objectives of SDG 4.

Community Engagement and Future Outlook

• The program’s success is sustained by a robust volunteer base of over 150 individuals from diverse sectors of the community, including retirees, college students, professionals, and military personnel.
• Currently operating in three schools, ABQ Reads has a strategic goal to expand its services to additional campuses, thereby scaling its impact on quality education and inequality reduction.
• The organization invites further community participation through volunteerism, book donations, and financial contributions to enhance its capacity to achieve its SDG-aligned objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  This is the primary goal addressed. The article is entirely focused on the ABQ Reads program, which aims to “improve their literacy skills” and “boost reading achievement” for kindergarten and first-grade students. This directly aligns with the objective of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The program specifically helps “struggling students.” By providing one-on-one tutoring, it aims to close the educational gap between these students and their peers, thereby reducing inequalities in learning outcomes within the community.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights that ABQ Reads is a collaborative effort. It was founded by the “Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce” (private sector), operates as a “501(c)(3)” (civil society), and relies on “more than 150 volunteers” from the community to achieve its educational goals. This multi-stakeholder partnership is central to the program’s operation and success.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

  The program’s focus on improving literacy for “kindergarten and first-grade students” is a direct contribution to ensuring children have the foundational skills needed for a quality primary education and achieve “effective learning outcomes.”

• Target 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.

  The core mission of ABQ Reads is to “improve their literacy skills.” By intervening at an early age, the program sets a foundation for lifelong literacy, directly contributing to this target.

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

  By targeting “struggling students,” the program works to prevent them from being left behind academically. This educational support promotes their inclusion and provides a better foundation for future social and economic participation.

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

  The article describes a textbook example of this target. The partnership involves the business community (“Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce”), a civil society organization (“501(c)(3)”), and community members (“150 volunteers”), all collaborating to support education reform.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education):

  The article provides several quantitative indicators to measure the program’s impact on learning outcomes:

  • Proficiency Level Improvement: The article states that “literacy proficiency scores reflected a 25% decrease in students reading at the lowest level and a 22% increase in students reading at proficient levels.” This is a direct measure of improved learning outcomes.
  • Reading Level Advancement: It is mentioned that “students typically advanced two to four reading levels” by the end of the school year, providing another metric for progress.
  • Access to Learning Materials: The fact that “Each student also received up to 20 books for their home libraries” serves as an indicator of increased access to educational resources.
• Indicators for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):

  The primary indicator is the reduction in the educational achievement gap. The “25% decrease in students reading at the lowest level” directly implies that the disparity between struggling students and their peers is being reduced.

• Indicators for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):

  The article implies indicators related to the mobilization of resources from non-state actors:

  • Volunteer Engagement: The program “relies on more than 150 volunteers from across Albuquerque,” indicating a significant contribution of human resources from civil society.
  • Resource Mobilization: The call to “donate books and funding” points to the mobilization of financial and in-kind contributions from the community and private sector to support the partnership’s goals.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: koat.com