BETTER BASICS INC
1231 Second Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233 www.betterbasics.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: To make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by advancing literacy through enrichment and intervention programs.

Better Basics operated afterschool HOPE 21st Century Community Learning Centers at 3 elementary schools and 1 high school in Fairfield, Alabama during the 2019-2020 school year and a summer camp in July of 2020. At the HOPE Centers, we are creating lasting change in the lives of our students, their families, and the community by delivering high-quality afterschool programming that focuses on enriching experiences that empower students to succeed. The HOPE Centers eliminate the disparity in access to academic enrichment that at-risk students often face. A caring and well-trained staff conducts daily activities designed to improve academic achievement in reading and math while encouraging the development of good character. During the 2019-2020 school year (until the COVID-19 pandemic caused schools to shut down), the afterschool program operated every afternoon during the school year during the hours when students are most at risk (2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.). A team of certified teachers, additional program staff and volunteers worked with participating students to make improvements in their reading. In the summer of 2020, Better Basics provided a 4-week summer camp to students in the Fairfield City Schools system with the help certified teachers working onsite with students and a certified teacher working virtually with students. Between the afterschool and summer programs, a total of 289 students and parents participated, and 624 books were distributed.

Reading Intervention helps improve the reading skills and abilities of children who are performing below grade level. The program is comprised of two components: Small Group Intervention and Reading Mentors. Small Group Intervention serves students recommended by school faculty and identified by Better Basics staff as needing strategic, explicit reading instruction, with the goal of accelerating reading performance. Better Basics hires certified teachers to instruct selected students three times weekly for 20 weeks. Reading Mentors serve children who are identified by school staff as needing reading support, but who are not able to be served in small group intervention. Better Basics trains volunteer Reading Mentors to provide engaging, one-on-one reading experiences with their students. The goal is to inspire an enjoyment of, and an interest in, reading, while ultimately enhancing their independent reading abilities. In the 2019-2020 school year, 22 certified Reading Intervention teachers instructed 319 students from Grades K-4 at 10 elementary schools and distributed 5,344 books. In addition, 51 community volunteers worked as Reading Mentors, serving 51 students at 9 elementary schools and distributing 714 books. The Covid-19 crisis presented significant difficulty measuring outcomes for 2019-2020. More importantly, Better Basics was able to complete all project services to the recipient children and caregivers despite school closings. However, it was impossible to conduct program post-tests and measure the program outcomes based on them.

Summer Brain Gain maintains reading and math skills during the summer months. Children from partner sites such as local YMCAs, school systems, churches, camps, etc. receive direct reading and math instruction from certified teachers who deliver an inter-disciplinary curriculum, which incorporates STEM lessons. During the summer of 2020, Summer Brain Gain worked with 10 partner sites to serve 135 at-risk students during a summer program integrated into existing summer camps.

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Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202023039349302407_public.xml