Why TAP-TAM?

Statistics

  • 64% of Kansas 4th graders do not read at a proficient level according to the 2012 Kids COUNT data.
  • A study in 2001 by the Kansas State Department of Education reported Kansas Kindergarten teachers as saying that only 43% of their students show up for school with the literacy and communication skills that they need. (Kansas Action for Children).
  • The National Academy of Education estimates that 35% of American children enter kindergarten unprepared to learn, most lacking the language skills that are the prerequisite of literacy acquisition.
  • The brain develops 90% of its capacity in the first 5 years of life and this capacity is aided by stimulation and interactions in the environment.
  • Over 60% of teens who drop out of school are not literate, and they partially blame their decision to drop out on their reading difficulties. (Reading Is Fundamental, 2000)
  • Among parents in a primary care waiting room, those who had been given books and guidance were four times more likely to report reading aloud or doing it in the last 24 hours. (Needlman, 1991, Boston, MA)
  • A group of parents randomly chosen to get early literacy guidance and books had significantly higher literacy orientation, compared to a control group that got usual care. Among children 18 months and older, there were also significant increases in language scores using modified standard language assessment, both for speaking and understanding. Language development is crucial for successful reading acquisition. (High, 2000, Providence, RI)