16
Vision
Before 2030, Polk County will have a world-
class, fully integrated education system that
supports the needs of a vibrant, progressive
community.
Pam Craven, Ph.D.
Co-Chair
Learning Resource
Center
Lindsay Persohn,
Ph.D.
Co-Chair
Polk County Public
Schools
Jeanette Crowley
Polk County Public
Schools
Jennifer Kovac
Polk County Library
Cooperative
Kristi Perkins
Lake Wales Literacy
Council
Colleen Pizzuti
United Way of Central
Florida
Nancy Puri
Polk County Public
Schools
Beverly Putnam
Northeast Polk
Literacy Council
53%
51%
41%
43%
ABOVE: A series of meetings are being
conducted around the county to learn
more about how to better align literacy
supports for students and families.
These meetings convene experts in a
range of educational fields and address
a variety of literacy challenges including
reading comprehension, finance, and
health.
Third grade is an important pivot
point in a child’s education,
the time when students shift
from learning to read and begin
reading to learn. Students
who fail to reach this critical
milestone often falter in the
later grades and drop out before
earning a high school diploma
(Hernandez, 2011)
51%
Sandy Roddenberry
Lakeland Regional
Health
Kathleen Roehm
Redlands Christian
Migrant Association
Claire Schwartz
Achievement
Academy
Juan Seda
Polk County Public
Schools
Billy Townsend
Polk County School
Board
of Polk County 3rd Grade
Students scored proficient in
English Language Arts.
(2018 Florida Standards ELA
Reading Assessment)
Lindsay Persohn, Ph.D. // Senior Coordinator,
Library Media Services, Polk County Public Schools
2016-17
2017-18
GRADE 9 - 10
% Level 3 or above
With this broad support for literacy in our communities,
in addition to the availability of the Literacy Resource
Directory, we look to positively impact test scores as well
as the overall success of Polk County’s children in school and
in life.”