Fuller Center Launches Year-Round Literacy Initiative to Help Children Catch Up and Stay Ahead
Like many students his age, 6-year-old Mason struggled with reading after the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Letters blurred together, and sounding out words left him frustrated. But this summer, something changed. Thanks to a new evidence-based reading program at the Fuller Center, Mason now walks into class with confidence—eager to read aloud.
Mason is one of dozens of children benefiting from Fuller Center’s expanded literacy initiative, a partnership with the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI). With reading scores across the country still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels, this new effort aims to combat what educators call a national literacy crisis.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 33% of fourth graders nationwide are reading at or above proficiency levels—a decline that deepened following COVID-era learning losses. Studies show that children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
Recognizing this urgent need, Fuller Center has officially launched a year-round UFLI Foundations program across its early education classrooms, following a successful pilot in 2024. Funded by a multiyear grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, the initiative uses a research-based phonics curriculum grounded in the science of reading.
Unlike traditional summer programs that focus broadly on enrichment, UFLI Foundations offers small-group instruction four times a week, led by trained educators and reading counselors. The structure ensures that each child—whether struggling with phonemic awareness or decoding—receives targeted support tailored to their reading level.
This summer, the program will serve 40 students—up from 15 last year—and continue into the school year to maintain literacy progress and prevent the “summer slide” that affects many low-income learners.
“Our partnership with UFLI is a game-changer,” said Fuller Center CEO Eric Roby. “We are not just addressing reading gaps—we’re giving every child the foundation they need to thrive, from preschool to graduation and beyond. This literacy initiative is a powerful addition Fuller Center’s cradle-to-career model, reinforcing our mission to ensure that every child—regardless of background—has the opportunity to succeed in school and in life.”
For Mason and his classmates, the transformation is already underway—one page, one sound, one confident voice at a time.
Learn more about the UFLI Foundations program here: https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/
To make a donation towards our summer program click here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/summerappeal-championforachild/
