The “Reading with Barbers” program was launched in the summer of 2017 in barber shops located in east and southeast Fort Worth. It is designed to help students, ages 4-14, identify as readers in safe, out-of-school community spaces. The program aligns with Fort Worth ISD’s 100 X 25 FWTX initiative, which sets a goal of 100 percent of third-graders reading on grade level or above by the year 2025.

Following a successful launch, the Reading with Barbers initiative is now expanding into other parts of Fort Worth where barbers wish to participate. This includes recently added locations on the south side and west side. The community has also been reaching out asking how to conribute funds or books to support the expansion into more neighborhoods. People may do so by contacting: Charles Hodges, FWISD Division of Equity and Excellence, 5701 Shelton St., Fort Worth, TX 76112, charles.hodges@fwisd.org, (817) 300-8766.

Reading with Barbers is a prime example of how community involvement can impact student learning. Students who read at their local barber shop are in a comfortable, familiar environment that is a central part of their neighborhood. Barbers have established relationships with their young customers and their guardians. This allows them to provide support to help reluctant readers build confidence by encouraging them to read aloud and to answer content and context questions. Parents can read with their children while they wait for their haircut, and older readers can even select their own books to read.

This collective impact strategy engages parents, grandparents, and caregivers as well as volunteers from the city’s business sector, higher education, non-profit organizations, and the faith-based community. The initiative was honored with the State of Texas OneStar Foundation Partners in Education Award in the fall of 2019 as one of the top volunteer programs in the state.