- Washington Heights Elementary School
- Homepage
‘Reading with Barbers’ Program Featured in National Education Publication
Fort Worth ISD’s innovative “Reading with Barbers” program is featured in the January/February edition of Urban Educator, the national newsletter of the Council of the Great City Schools. The article about the program is entitled, “Books and Barbers Program Flourishes in Fort Worth.” The article explains how the District has created partnerships with local barber shops to help improve literacy among young students, especially those ages four to 14.
“Reading with Barbers” began in the summer of 2017 in barber shops located in east and southeast Fort Worth. There are nine participating barbers in the program. Their shops feature bookshelves filled with classic and contemporary children’s books. When students sit down for their hair cut, barbers encourage them to read aloud and will ask their young customers questions about the book.
Each participating barber also has colorful incentive charts so children can track their reading progress with stars and stickers.
The program is directly aligned with Fort Worth ISD’s initiative, called 100 X 25 FWTX, which sets a goal of 100 percent of third-graders reading on grade level or above by the year 2025. Superintendent Kent P. Scribner is partnering with Mayor Betsy Price and BNSF Executive Chairman Matt Rose to lead the community-wide Read Fort Worth initiative. 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.
“Reading with Barbers” is a prime example of how community involvement can impact student learning. Students who read at the 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 can provide support and help reluctant readers build confidence. Parents can read with their children while they wait for their haircut and older readers can select their own books to read.
“Reading with Barbers” also demonstrates how families and businesses come together to support and improve literacy among children in the local community.
Fort Worth ISD Mobile App for the latest information.