@literacy_first

Outreach program from the Charles A. Dana Center at UT Austin. We teach young children how to read through high-impact literacy tutoring.

 Austin, TX
literacyfirst.org/
Joined February 2010
  • Tweets3.4K
  • Following648
  • Followers1K
1.3KMedia
Our end-of-year numbers are in! 2,285 students learned foundational reading skills with Literacy First this school year. Here are a few other key stats. What other program data would you like to see?
A graphic with a photo of a student coloring in a graph titled "Our School Year by the Numbers". The statistics highlighted include: - 2,285 students taught foundational reading skills. - 172 tutors provided students with daily reading instruction. - 9,881 students were screened for reading difficulties. - 121,072 tutoring sessions delivered. - 84% of students in the Literacy First program showed an increase in the rate of development of reading skills.

ALT A graphic with a photo of a student coloring in a graph titled "Our School Year by the Numbers". The statistics highlighted include: - 2,285 students taught foundational reading skills. - 172 tutors provided students with daily reading instruction. - 9,881 students were screened for reading difficulties. - 121,072 tutoring sessions delivered. - 84% of students in the Literacy First program showed an increase in the rate of development of reading skills.

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#UT40for40 is your chance to give back and invest in the future! Join #LiteracyFirst and use your gift to empower young students learning how to read. Make a donation before 10pm today to make a difference. Give here: ow.ly/MYWK50YRIYn
A graphic that says "Join in. Give back. Change the world." with the University of Texas and 40 hours for the Forty Acres logo. There is a photo of a student and tutor working on reading together.

ALT A graphic that says "Join in. Give back. Change the world." with the University of Texas and 40 hours for the Forty Acres logo. There is a photo of a student and tutor working on reading together.

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Save the date—40 Hours for the Forty Acres is April 29–30! This UT-wide day of giving strengthens our local community. Help Literacy First give more students the high-quality tutoring they need to become better readers. Save the date or give today: ow.ly/P2kB50YPwhF
A graphic promoting the 40 Hours for Forty Acres event on April 29-30 by the University of Texas. There is a photo of a tutor and a student standing next to each other and smiling.

ALT A graphic promoting the 40 Hours for Forty Acres event on April 29-30 by the University of Texas. There is a photo of a tutor and a student standing next to each other and smiling.

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Ready to drive innovation in education? The Dana Center is hiring an AI and STEM Innovation Manager to develop professional learning and instructional resources. Join the team: ow.ly/HkOy50YMNOj #NowHiring #STEMEducator #EducationCareers #STEMCareers
Hiring announcement for Manager of AI and STEM Innovation with responsibilities including mentorship, quality assurance, implementation, AI guidelines, and professional learning.

ALT Hiring announcement for Manager of AI and STEM Innovation with responsibilities including mentorship, quality assurance, implementation, AI guidelines, and professional learning.

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We’re excited to share we have updated our brand colors to align with The University of Texas at Austin brand. While our logo may look a little different, we’re still the same high-impact literacy tutoring program that’s been serving Central Texas and beyond since 1994.
Logo of Literacy First featuring an orange book icon above the name in blue text, with a subtitle that says "From the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin".

ALT Logo of Literacy First featuring an orange book icon above the name in blue text, with a subtitle that says "From the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin".

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A recent study of Literacy First published in the peer-reviewed Reading and Writing journal revealed new insights into the program’s efficacy. 💡📈 In the field of Spanish literacy tutoring, our program stands out with proven results. Learn more: ow.ly/flpH50YuXTu
A graphic announcing a new blog post. The text says "on the blog", then the title of the blog, "New Literacy First Study Validates Program Effectiveness" and a "read now" call to action. There is a photo of a young student focused on reading during a literacy session. At the bottom, it says "literacyfirst.org/blog"

ALT A graphic announcing a new blog post. The text says "on the blog", then the title of the blog, "New Literacy First Study Validates Program Effectiveness" and a "read now" call to action. There is a photo of a young student focused on reading during a literacy session. At the bottom, it says "literacyfirst.org/blog"

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Headed to @SXSWEDU next week? Don't miss the Multilingual by Design session facilitated by our director, Claire Hagen Alvarado and Kathryn Todd from @DellFdn! Session details here: ow.ly/ejqk50Yqnb3 #SXSWEDU #ScienceOfReading #EducationInnovation #MultilingualLearners
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Since 1994, @literacy1st has helped 30K+ Central Texas children build strong reading skills through daily one-on-one tutoring. 📚 In 2024–25 alone, 1,700+ kindergarten through second grade students became grade-level readers with 30 minutes of structured daily instruction. As more schools partner with Literacy First to strengthen early reading, they are expanding their reach so even more children across Central Texas can become confident, independent readers.
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Thank you so much for your support! We are so impressed by our donors' generosity during our end of year fundraiser. A few of our tutors and students are here to share their gratitude for your gifts.
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It's your last chance to make an impact for students this year! Show your support before midnight to ensure more students start the new year ready to read, ready to learn, and ready to lead. Donate here: ow.ly/XeFz50XNoAv
Child in a red striped sweater pointing at a workbook, with a call to action to double your impact by giving today.

ALT Child in a red striped sweater pointing at a workbook, with a call to action to double your impact by giving today.

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From the Literacy First team to you and yours, happy holidays!
A group photo of adults, some dressed in festive holiday outfits, sitting at tables and smiling.

ALT A group photo of adults, some dressed in festive holiday outfits, sitting at tables and smiling.

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📖 Double your impact today 📖 We are $5,000 short of our end of year match goal and need your help! Every gift given to Literacy First through Dec 31 will be doubled by a generous match from our advisory board. Give today to double opportunities: ow.ly/sPJh50XMvYK
Two adult female tutors and two young girls stand together, posing and smiling.

ALT Two adult female tutors and two young girls stand together, posing and smiling.

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#GivingTuesday is here! Donate today and your gift will have double the impact thanks to a match from our advisory board. Up to $7,000 of gifts contributed through the end of Dec. will be matched. 🎁 🎁 Invest in the invaluable gift of literacy today: literacyfirst.org/donate/
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Are you a leader looking to shape educational innovation or systems for change? Join our team @utdanacenter! We are hiring two directors to help lead our work in education transformation. Learn more: literacyfirst.org/link-in-bi… #ChangeMaker #EducationLeadership #HiringNow
Dark circular banner with 'We Are Hiring' text and buttons for open director positions in impact and innovation, set against a colorful tech background.

ALT Dark circular banner with 'We Are Hiring' text and buttons for open director positions in impact and innovation, set against a colorful tech background.

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Our team at the Charles A. Dana Center is #hiring. Ready to shape systems for lasting change? Join us as the Director of Creating Conditions for Impact. Guide policies and practices that enable sustainable improvements in education: ow.ly/gZUr50X37GV #EducationLeadership
University of Texas at Austin Dana Center hiring Director to lead policy, network building, and influence in education and workforce systems.

ALT University of Texas at Austin Dana Center hiring Director to lead policy, network building, and influence in education and workforce systems.

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Marcel spoke French at home and began school knowing very little English. When he came to Literacy First, his tutor, Andrea, realized she had to adapt to best support his reading development. Learn more about how she supported this multilingual learner: ow.ly/IX6i50WX7em
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Congratulations to our @AmeriCorps members on completing their pre-service training. Please join us in wishing them a service year full of growth, new learning opportunities, and positive impact!
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That feeling when you ace your Literacy First lesson for the day 😄👋 While we're in training mode now as the school year begins, we're looking forward to being back on campuses and working with students soon!
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SXSW EDU #PanelPicker is open, and we have an idea in the mix! Cast your vote: ow.ly/jeEb50WCaaQ. Join us for a conversation on multilingual-informed strategies to unlock #EarlyLiteracy across languages. Vote today to give this idea a platform at #SXSWEDU.
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"This role not only allowed me to give back to students facing similar challenges to those I experienced as a child but also deepened my understanding of the complex relationship between language and learning." Read Fatima's reflection on the blog: ow.ly/YEhb50WyMlJ
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