Kate Amaya.jpg

A STARS Book Club mentor meeting with her students.

The Beginning

In the spring of 2013, Stephanie Korteweg, a 12-year Waco ISD elementary teacher, created STARS Book Clubs as a way for volunteers to provide students with crucial reading and social-emotional support.  She started by recruiting volunteers from her church (Antioch Waco) to support their neighborhood elementary schools (Provident Heights Elementary and Waco Charter School) through these Book Clubs.

In Book Clubs, volunteer mentors meet weekly over lunch with fixed small groups of students who are grouped by reading level. During these meetings, students talk, eat, and practice reading fun books aloud with their mentors.  In this fun, low-pressure environment, students have the chance to grow in reading proficiency, enjoyment and confidence through the consistent encouragement and feedback of a caring adult. 

The Transformation

For the first five years, an average of 85% of all 2nd-5th graders in Provident Heights Elementary and Waco Charter School participated in Book Clubs. Even though these two schools had different systems and curriculum, both schools experienced exceptional reading growth during that time, seeing the most improvement in STAAR Reading passing rates of all public elementary schools in Waco: 27% and 25% growth, respectively, while those rates declined by 5% in Waco ISD and by 8% across Texas.

2013-18 Growth with labels just schools.png
2013.png

The Continued Transformation

From 2018 to 2019, both schools saw significant changes.  In the summer of 2018, Waco Charter School experienced turnover of both its principal and almost all of its teachers. In the midst of transition, their STAAR Reading rates dropped, but the school still ranked as 4th-most improved public elementary school in Waco from 2013-2019. 

At the same time, Provident Heights made even greater improvement by becoming the most-improved school in Waco and 2nd highest overall in STAAR Reading passing rates. With a 50% increase in those rates from 2013-2019, Provident Heights’ turnaround became one of the greatest reading success stories in the state, as they showed more growth than 99% of all Texas public elementary schools (approximately 33rd most improved out of more than 6,500 schools).

The City-Wide Expansion

In 2018, at the invitation of Waco ISD, churches from across our city united in an unprecedented movement to serve more elementary schools through STARS Book Clubs. That summer, through recruitment by pastors across the city and the coordination and organization of STARS Book Clubs staff, over 400 new volunteers started Book Clubs.

In 2018-19, STARS Book Clubs included volunteers from 40 churches across Waco who met with over 1,100 students across 13 public elementary schools. Principals and teachers across the city have shared how they have seen the positive impact Book Clubs are making in their schools. As we see scores continue to improve across the district, we believe Waco will become a model for how community support can create an environment where every student can read and succeed!

JHH+Library+1.jpg

The Future

While we’ve seen great progress, we know that we still have a ways to go. Our hope is that through this practical model for churches to serve their local schools, we can build a brighter future where the students of our city have the opportunity to succeed in elementary school and grow up to fulfill their great potential. 

Join us as we see this future become reality!

Daniel%2BNotman.jpg