Imagination Library yields results in our schools

Our staff is already hearing great reports from Pitt County Schools (PCS) about the impact Imagination Library is having. Lisa Tate is Director of Elementary Education for PCS and she is pleased that children starting Kindergarten are entering on a more level playing field. She said that children are excited to see books in the classroom that they have in their personal libraries at home. "It's a conversation starter for these children and it helps them feel more comfortable in the classroom," Tate said.

The 2017-18 school year is the second year that some children in PCS have had the books in their home before starting school. It is also the baseline year for the Imagination Library Kindergarten Impact Study (ILKIS). During the baseline year and the next four years, researchers in literacy studies at ECU will be measuring the impact of Imagination Library. If you would like to view the baseline data and stay up to date with their work, please bookmark this PAGE and check in from time to time.

While the research will provide important data, teachers are commenting on the impact that exposure to literacy before Kindergarten is making. "Early exposure to books helps children understand print concepts like left to right and top to bottom - it makes a difference when these children enter school," Tate said. "Our teachers believe in the impact of Imagination Library, and they are so grateful to have this resource for their students."

If you would like to support Imagination Library, please make a gift to United Way today.