- Thomas County third-grade reading scores rose from 57% in 2021 to 72% last year, settling at 65% this spring.
- Thomasville City rebounded from 61% in 2024 to 69% in 2025, slightly above the state average.
- Community efforts like the Literacy Fair, No phone policy at school districts and storytime at The Bookshelf are helping kids build stronger reading habits.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
By third grade, kids stop learning to read and start reading to learn.
More students in Thomas County are making that switch, but too many are still falling behind.
I'm finding out what's driving the gains and what's still holding some students back.
"When the Chamber did the Workforce Pipeline Study right after COVID, literacy was identified as one of the five pinch points or barriers to the workforce," said Campbell.
Rainey Campbell chairs Literacy for Thomas County. She says reading skills built by third grade are fundamental not just for school, but for future jobs and community growth.
Since COVID, Thomas County has made major strides.
In 2021, only 57% of third graders were reading at grade level that climbed to 72% before dipping slightly this year to 65%, still higher than before the pandemic.
"There have been a number of interventions, and especially coming out of COVID where there were a lot of deficiencies and setbacks, particularly in the literacy scores, there have been vast improvements," said Campbell.
Those improvements come from new programs and policies: from summer reading sessions and "no phone" school policies to expanding the community Literacy Fair.
Literacy for Thomas County is also helping adults earn GEDs while building home libraries for their families, encouraging parents and kids to read together.
"It's a lot of data around reading that shows book ownership is such an important part of that. You're six times more likely to be able to read if you have books in your house," said Campbell.
I also spoke with Caroline Weeks at The Bookshelf to understand why reading skills matter beyond the classroom and why the local push for literacy is about more than just grades.
"To be, you know, an active participant in society, to be able to open up other, you know, and better employment opportunities," said Weeks.
While third-grade scores are rising, there's still work ahead.
By sixth grade, only about half of local students are reading at grade level a reminder that building early literacy is just the first step in keeping kids on track long-term.
And even though the Literacy Fair is over, you can still take your kids to a free story time every Saturday at The Bookshelf — it's open to all ages.
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