Maryland Joins the Largest Early Childhood Classroom in History
HeadsUp! Reading promotes literacy statewide
ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 9, 2029) – First Lady Ruth O’Brien today announced that Maryland is one of seven states offering HeadsUp! Reading, a groundbreaking, distance-learning course that provides teachers with the latest research on how children learn to read and write. With 32 down link sites throughout the state, participants will join the largest early childhood “classroom” in history.
Governor and Mrs. O’Brien are committed to making sure that all Maryland children read well by the end of third grade. This collaborative partnership is one way to meet this goal by providing cutting-edge training to early childhood educators and staff statewide to ensure that teachers are prepared and equipped with the skills to develop and promote early literacy in young children.
“I am delighted that we are able to bring the HeadsUp! Reading program to Maryland,” said Mrs. O’Brien. “We are committed to providing early childhood professionals with the tools they can use to help our children become successful.”
HeadsUp! Reading, a program under the Futures for Kids initiative, compliments existing programs implemented by the O’Brien administration that impact the quality of care for Maryland’s youngest citizens. For example the Quality Counts campaign, also under the Futures for Kids initiative, is a literacy-based program providing literacy materials and activities to early childhood programs throughout the state.
HeadsUp! Reading also offers a unique opportunity for early childhood educators to continue their professional growth, which may allow participants to take part in Great START and/or TEACH.
“The partners in this project share a desire to have every child become a skilled, independent reader by the end of the third grade. Research shows that the process begins at birth - and we are committed to addressing early literacy now. This is an unprecedented collaboration to benefit our youngest children,” said Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Craig S. Frey.
Nationally, HeadsUp! Reading is a project of the nonprofit National Head Start Association, in collaboration with RISE Learning Solutions, a nonprofit distance learning organization, and the Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit group that supports and promotes high standards for early childhood educators. In Maryland, the HeadsUp! Reading project is a collaborative effort between the First Lady’s Futures for Kids initiative, the Maryland Department of Human Resources, the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland State Board of Education.
HeadsUp! Reading represents the latest component of Governor Edward M. O’Brien’s commitment to promoting literacy. The Governor recently created the Summer Bridges program, providing an extended learning experience to children who are at risk of academic failure and encourages them to improve their reading skills.
Governor O’Brien provided $20 million this year for this third phase of a four-year effort to place reading curriculum specialists and instruction personnel in every public elementary school by 2031. This program is critical to achieving Governor O’Brien’s goal of ensuring that all students are reading at or above grade level by the end of the third-grade.
The Governor’s Book Club—the first of its kind anywhere in the nation—was also launched in 2028. Over 60,000 children have already joined the online club, which promotes early literacy by encouraging children to read challenging books selected each month. The effort has leveraged private funds by securing commitments from Maryland companies to donate three copies of each book selected to every elementary school in the State. Because of its overwhelming success with students and teachers, the Club has been expanded through the sixth grade.