Reading Assist

09/03/2026

Today, CEO Caroline O’Neal joined our Fellows in Washington, DC as they continue training for the school year ahead.

While there, Caroline heard from returning Fellows about their experiences and discussed how Reading Assist can continue to support their professional growth and development throughout their service year.

We’re grateful for the feedback and excited to have so many familiar faces back with us for another year of service!

09/02/2026

National Literacy Month is officially underway! 📚

As National Literacy Month begins and students across our region head back to school, we’re celebrating the many ways literacy is part of our everyday lives.

Today, Reading Assist joined fellow members of the Delaware Literacy Alliance at Hockessin Public Library for the New Castle County Government’s Literacy Month Proclamation and Toddler Tales Story Time, where County Executive Marcus Henry officially recognized September as Literacy Month.

And there’s plenty more ahead! Our newest Fellows are continuing training in Wilmington and Washington, DC, and later this week, we’ll welcome the Delaware Literacy Alliance to see that work firsthand.

Throughout September, we’re looking forward to celebrating the many ways literacy shows up across our region, and the people and partnerships helping make it possible.

Literacy Month is just getting started! 💛📖

08/28/2026

Yesterday was a busy day in Delaware for Reading Assist!

We were pleased to welcome Justin Richards, the new Executive Director of the Delaware State Board of Education, to Fellow training. Justin had a chance to see how our tutors are preparing to support young readers this coming school year, while also learning more about Reading Assist's work overall and sharing more about his priorities in his new role.

Meanwhile, members of our staff and returning fellows joined students and families at a Family Walkthrough Night at Dr. Joseph E. Johnson Jr. School and the William C. Lewis Dual Language Elementary School Back to School Block Party.

From preparing our Fellows, to connecting with education leaders and welcoming families back to school, yesterday was a great snapshot of the many ways Reading Assist is showing up for young readers in Wilmington and beyond.

08/28/2026

Yesterday was a busy day in Delaware for Reading Assist!

We were pleased to welcome Justin Richards, the new Executive Director of the Delaware State Board of Education, to Fellow training. Justin had a chance to see how our tutors are preparing to support young readers this coming school year, while also learning more about Reading Assist’s work overall and sharing more about his priorities in his new role.

Meanwhile, members of our staff and returning fellows joined students and families at a Family Walkthrough Night at Dr. Joseph E. Johnson Jr. School and the William C. Lewis Dual Language Elementary School Back to School Block Party.

From preparing our Fellows, to connecting with education leaders and welcoming families back to school, yesterday was a great snapshot of the many ways Reading Assist is showing up for young readers in Wilmington and beyond.

DelawareEducation

08/27/2026

Back to School season is here, but we had time for one more summer night under the stars! ✨📚

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Literacy Under the Stars during Dining Under the Stars to connect with Reading Assist as we wrap up summer and get ready to head back to the classroom.

We’re especially grateful to our friends at Bookish Notions for welcoming us back and generously donating a portion of the day’s proceeds to support our work with young readers.

And our back-to-school celebrations aren’t over yet! You can find Reading Assist at two events in Wilmington today:

📚 Family Walkthrough Night
Joseph E. Johnson, Jr. School
3:30–5 PM | 2100 Gilpin Ave.

🎒 Lewis Back to School Block Party
Lewis Dual Language
4–6 PM | 920 N. Van Buren St.

Stop by, say hello, and help us kick off another school year of supporting striving readers across our region!

08/26/2026

As a new school year begins, we're encouraged by signs of literacy progress across the communities Reading Assist serves. 📚

In Washington, DC, English Language Arts proficiency increased for the fourth consecutive year, reaching its highest level since the District adopted its current assessment in 2015. The District also found positive results among students who participated in sustained high-impact tutoring.

In Delaware, schools receiving targeted literacy support showed some of the state's strongest gains. Eight of nine schools with comparable data improved third-grade ELA proficiency, averaging a 5.4 percentage-point increase compared with 1 point statewide.

While there is still work ahead, these results offer encouraging signs of progress. They reinforce the importance of sustained, evidence-based support and remind us that meaningful progress is possible.
Read more about the latest results in Washington, DC and Delaware:

Washington, DC: https://mayor.dc.gov/release/dc%E2%80%99s-2026-statewide-assessment-results-show-continued-gains-ela-and-math

Delaware: https://news.delaware.gov/2026/08/18/delaware-schools-receiving-targeted-literacy-support-show-some-of-the-states-strongest-assessment-gains/

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) released results from the District’s annual statewide assessments in English language arts/literacy (ELA) and math taken by students in grades 3–8 and high school in spring 2026. Distri...

08/25/2026

Yesterday, Reading Assist officially kicked off training for our 2026–27 cohort of tutors at our Wilmington headquarters and in Washington, DC!

This year’s cohort includes new and familiar faces, with 50 returning Reading Assist tutors joining us for another year of helping young readers build the foundational skills they need to become successful readers.

Over the next several weeks, our tutors will dive into training as they prepare to provide students with specialized, evidence-based literacy support using Reading Assist’s accredited structured literacy curriculum.

We’re so excited to welcome our newest tutors and returning members back to the program. Here’s to a great year ahead! 📚

08/24/2026

Summer isn't over just yet, but Back to School season is just around the corner! ☀️📚

This Wednesday, August 26, Reading Assist and Bookish Notions are bringing Literacy Under the Stars back to Media’s favorite night out.

We'll be popping up from 5–7:30 PM during Dining Under the Stars to share literacy information and swag as we prepare for a new school year and enjoy one last summer night out with the Media community!

📍 Bookish Notions | 11 E State Street, Media, PA
📅 Wednesday, August 26 | 5–7:30 PM

08/24/2026

That’s a wrap on the Philly Bookstore Crawl! 📚💛

We had such a great time showing up where we serve, meeting fellow readers, and celebrating the independent bookstores that help make reading part of our communities.

A huge thank you to the The Philly Bookstore Crawl organizers for bringing local businesses and readers across the region together, and to all of the participating shops that welcomed Reading Assist bookmarks to their shelves.

An extra special thank you to Huxley & Hiro Booksellers and Dueling Rabbits Coffee Roasters for co-hosting Lattes & Literacy with us and making our Wilmington stop such a fun part of the day!

Thanks for letting Reading Assist crawl along this year. We can’t wait to do it again in 2027! 📚

american grammar
Celia Bookshop
Children's Book World
Harrietts Bookshop
H&H Books
Lot 49 Books
Main Point Books
Midsummer Books
Runehammer

08/18/2026

Books + coffee + literacy? Sounds like a pretty good Saturday. 📚☕😁

This Saturday, August 22, join Reading Assist for Lattes & Literacy during the Philly Bookstore Crawl.

Shop local at Huxley & Hiro Booksellers, grab a coffee from Dueling Rabbits Coffee Roasters, and stop by our table to learn more about how we support young readers across the region through high-impact tutoring, educator support, and literacy programming.

The The Philly Bookstore Crawl celebrates independent bookstores and the role they play in our communities, and we’re excited to be part of it.

📍 3601 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE
🗓 Saturday, August 22
⏰ 10 AM–12 PM

Come say hi and grab a bookmark, then keep crawling.