Innovation for Good: Catch Up & Read

The third grade is a milestone for literacy. It’s a significant predictor of literacy in the eighth grade and will likely lead to lower-than-average reading levels throughout adulthood. It’s also the time when young children start to read to learn, not learn to read, and poor reading skills severely limit this.

With literacy rates continuing to decline in Texas, Catch Up & Read is rising to the literacy challenge. When it comes to reading, this organization is making sure no child gets left behind.

The story of Catch Up & Read

In 2007, Catch Up & Read founder Catherine LeBlanc was volunteering at an elementary school in Dallas. She noticed that despite students regularly attending school, many were failing to read at grade level—even with enthusiastic teachers. Recognizing that this was a largely systemic and economic issue, LeBlanc spent time consulting with educational consultants and literacy experts and went on to launch Catch Up & Read in 2009.

Carol Goglia, President and CEO of Catch Up & Read, highlights the program’s holistic approach when it comes to building literacy rates, involving students, families, teachers, and school administration in the process. Students receive over 70 hours of literacy tutoring over the course of the school year, ensuring they get the time and attention they need. Teachers work side-by-side with literacy coaches who “deliver high-quality small-group instruction, monitor student progress using diagnostic tools, and adjust instruction based on real-time data.”

A growing literacy movement

Catch Up & Read has grown steadily over the past 17 years, serving thousands of students and hundreds of teachers in North Texas. Their goal is to reach “Title I campuses that serve large populations of economically disadvantaged and multilingual students.” Attention to underserved schools is key to the foundation’s methods, which are based on equity, data, and the belief that every child should be given the opportunity to become a confident reader.

Goglia sees investing in teachers as the future of literacy for elementary school age children. An integral objective for Catch Up & Read, she says “every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident reader, and every teacher deserves the tools to give students the reading foundation they need to be successful in school and life.”

A reading program supported by science and volunteers

The success of Catch Up & Read is largely driven by the strength of its literacy program. Its student-teacher support method has been rigorously studied by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Research and Reform in Education, which found significant positive impacts on reading achievement. The foundation also participates in research initiatives at Stanford University’s National Student Support Accelerator and Partnership for Student Success.

Each year, Catch Up & Read is supported by over 140 volunteers. Their roles include running events and teacher appreciation efforts, building literacy kits, community outreach, photography, and translation. According to Goglia “volunteers help amplify the joy of learning and send a powerful message to students: your success matters to all of us.”

Supporting students and teachers in the classroom and beyond

The results of the Catch Up & Read’s hybrid approach to literacy are undeniable, with 100 percent of participating students showing growth on the mCLASS early literacy assessment. Additionally, “students in classrooms led by Catch Up & Read-trained teachers—whether or not they received extra tutoring—consistently outperformed their peers across key reading indicators.”

Higher literacy rates are beneficial to the community at large, too. Goglio points out that students who read proficiently are more likely to attain employment, contribute to the economy, and be an active member of society. “Literacy is not just about reading words on a page,” says Goglio. “ It is about unlocking potential, expanding opportunity, and reshaping a child’s future. When students learn to read, they gain the skills and confidence to succeed in every subject and every future pathway.”

This article was originally published in the March-April 2026 issue of alive magazine (US edition).