Books and Screenings Strengthen Literacy Support Across Taos County

Taos students often lack consistent access to age-appropriate books and timely identification of learning needs, contributing to gaps in literacy development and missed opportunities for early support. Recognizing this challenge, the Education Coordinator for Northwest Regional Educational Cooperative (NWREC2) developed a coordinated, community-driven solution: pairing book distribution with on-site screenings to connect families to academic, developmental, and behavioral health resources. LOR funding helped NWREC2 purchase books for students from Pre-K through 10th grade and support a community kickoff event expected to serve about 400 attendees. At the kickoff event, families will receive books and access screenings for vision, hearing, dyslexia indicators, speech and language development, occupational therapy needs, and developmental milestones, along with immediate guidance and referrals. Books will then be distributed countywide through participating schools in Taos, Questa, and Peñasco, as well as local charter schools, with community school coordinators helping ensure equitable access for high-need students. Literacy coaches and school staff will work directly with students and families to support reading development and home-based learning, thereby creating a sustainable, family-centered model to strengthen educational support across Taos County.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Downtown Taos.