Strong literacy skills create a solid foundation for future educational, career, and life opportunities. The Kenan Trust funds programs that develop critical literacy skills for all ages, from early childhood to school-age children to adult learners, including those with learning differences.
Family Literacy
Using a two-generation approach, our work in Family Literacy supports language and foundational reading skills for children while also providing literacy training and encouragement for a caregiver to become a child’s first teacher. This model forms a basis for language proficiency and comprehension for children from the earliest ages, while caregivers also advance their own literacy skills.
Primary School Literacy
The Kenan Trust funds literacy projects that promote grade-level reading achievement as well as projects that emphasize targeted interventions for students through one-on-one or small-group tutoring. When students develop age-appropriate literacy skills, they tend to remain in school, make steady progress grade-to-grade, have fewer behavioral and social problems, and have better incomes and economic mobility into adulthood.
Adult Literacy
Adult Literacy is often more comprehensive than reading and writing skills. Collectively known as Adult Basic Education, many programs include math understanding, computer literacy, GED preparation, English as a Second Language support, and job-skills training. The Trust will support projects that provide Adult Literacy programming or broader training in Adult Basic Education.
Learning Differences
One in five people in the United States has a learning difference, meaning they may experience challenges with academics, including reading, writing, or math. The Kenan Trust funds projects to help those with learning differences, including support for specialized schools or other learning environments, training for teachers specializing in learning differences, family support and training, or community-based interventions.
