DC Charity Spotlight: AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation

WISH LIST $100: “big books” for interactive reading; $500: family lending library for parents and children to read together at home; $1500: 1 classroom set of Opening the World of Learning curriculum

Low-income children stand to gain the most from high quality pre-school education – but they are also the least likely to receive it. And this is true even though states predict the number of jail cells they will need by assessing the lack of reading proficiency in fourth graders. So it’s not hard to understand AppleTree Institute’s commitment to vocabulary and language learning for 3- and 4-year olds. Hiring teachers with four-year and advanced degrees to create preschool centers of excellence in language and literacy, and guaranteeing the necessary training and professional development, is central. Making this research-based instructional program available to as many children as possible is also key. To achieve this, AppleTree opened a public charter school that will serve 500 children within five years – if enough classrooms can be built. The goal is to see that children achieve national norms in language and literacy by the time they enter kindergarten, and progress to date is astounding. You can ensure that these children get the great beginning they truly deserve.

Jack McCarthy,

Managing Director 415 Michigan Avenue NE, McCormick Pavilion, Third Floor Washington, DC 20017 202-488-3990 appletreeinstitute.org