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The Literacy Crisis in Santa Barbara:
What You Need to Know

Brief Introduction

Half of the children in Santa Barbara County can’t read by the end of third grade, and they rarely catch up. This isn’t just a personal challenge for the children; it’s a community-wide problem. Illiteracy is a root cause of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and crime.

But it doesn’t have to stay this way. By applying the proven science-based approaches to literacy instruction that has worked in other districts, lives can be transformed.

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Why Your Signature Matters

  • Low literacy is directly linked to increased risks of poverty, crime, incarceration, unemployment, and homelessness.
  • Research-backed change is possible. With the right support for educators and students, we can help raise literacy rates and close the achievement gap.
  • Community impact: Every signature builds the momentum needed to create lasting change.
Be a part of the solution. Sign the Charter today and help give Santa Barbara’s children the future they deserve.

The Santa Barbara Reading Coalition Charter

Our mission is simple but bold: Ensure 90%+ reading proficiency for all public school children in South Coast Santa Barbara County using classroom instruction grounded in the Science of Reading. We also strive to support educators through professional development and training in research-backed approaches.

Charter

Mission

The Santa Barbara Reading Coalition’s mission is to help all public school children achieve 90%+ reading proficiency on state standardized tests at each grade level through classroom instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.

Background

Santa Barbara County’s schools have struggled with reading proficiency for years. Barely half the students meet grade-level standards for English, and in some schools, the results are even more troubling. For example, at McKinley Elementary, only 22% of students meet English proficiency standards. These struggles don’t end in elementary school—Santa Barbara High School sees similarly low results, with only 43% of students proficient in English and 22% in math.
While families with the financial means can hire tutors, many cannot, creating significant equity issues. We believe every child deserves the right to learn to read, regardless of their family’s income.
This lack of literacy skills affects not only individual children but our entire community. When students graduate without literacy or math skills, they are unprepared for higher education or employment, perpetuating cycles of poverty and economic instability.

Current SBUSD Efforts

In 2023, the Santa Barbara Unified School District introduced new science-based curricula for K-6 literacy instruction. This is a positive first step, but much more needs to be done. The district must ensure robust implementation of this new approach through extensive training and support for teachers, principals, and administrators.

Proven Strategies for Success

Based on the experiences of other school districts in our state and nationwide that have successfully implemented the science of reading, achieving widespread literacy proficiency in grades TK through 12 require the following six strategies:

  • Comprehensive teacher training: Intensive instruction on Science of Reading methods, with continued support.
  • Science-based curricula: Adoption of a reading curriculum based on decades of interdisciplinary research.
  • Accountable leadership: District and board leadership prioritize and set clear performance targets, holding all stakeholders accountable.
  • Measurable outcomes: Standardized assessments and clear performance objectives at every grade level.
  • Public transparency: Ongoing updates on the district’s progress toward meeting literacy goals.
  • Community involvement: A community-driven effort to monitor and encourage literacy progress.

We also advocate for phonemic awareness and phonics-based instruction in preschool (TK), and support for struggling students in grades 7-12 who have been left behind by previous teaching methods.

“Students who struggle to read become adults who struggle to read. If we don’t intervene now, it will impact their quality of life for years to come.”

– Dr. Kymyona Burk, State Literacy Director overseeing the “Mississippi Miracle”

Next Steps After Signing

Once you sign the charter, you’ll be part of a growing movement dedicated to improving literacy in Santa Barbara. You’ll receive updates on progress, ways to get involved, and how your signature helps push for real, measurable change.

Get Involved

Your support can change the future of our children. Join us today.

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Sign the Charter and become part of a movement to make lasting, impactful change in our schools and communities.

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