Former school board member: Literacy funding a wise investment in Jacksonville’s future

Jacksonville is well-known for its beaches and diverse culture, but critics have been quick to point out struggles with education, so it’s past time to ensure that literacy rates rise to new heights. In her most recent budget request, Mayor Donna Deegan’s commitment to fostering a literate community is evident, with $3.85 million planned for a multilayered approach to tackling literacy.

The administration's approach to ramping up literacy for the city includes: a year-round campaign to increase community and family reading, with competitions and prizes; support training for teachers in collaboration with Duval County Public Schools; free books to families with children up to age 4 in order to jump-start early literacy; and devoted funding for afterschool and summer programs focused on improving literacy.

This move to prioritize literacy as a city issue will likely pay off in dividends.

We’ve heard for years about the need to improve economic development and employment opportunities for the First Coast, and a strategic focus on literacy is one way to positively impact this. Higher literacy rates often correlate with better economic growth. A city with a highly literate population can attract businesses, foster innovation and improve productivity.

Increased literacy helps individuals gain access to job opportunities, acquire new skills and adapt to changing job markets. In turn, this contributes to lower unemployment rates and increased earning potential for residents.

A focus on literacy integrates nicely with the Deegan administration’s other priorities, as well. Literacy is often linked to better health outcomes. People who can read and understand health information are more likely to make informed decisions about their well-being, leading to healthier lifestyles and lower health care costs.

Additionally, many studies have shown that literacy rates correlate with lower crime rates. Education empowers individuals and provides them with more opportunities, potentially reducing involvement in criminal activities. So it makes sense to prioritize literacy as a comprehensive approach to solving some of Jacksonville's most pressing challenges.

Ultimately, in a city as large and diverse as ours, at a time when polarizing division can be a distraction from caring for the shared humanity of our people, literacy can help pave the way to “change for good.” Literacy allows for a deeper appreciation and understanding of culture, history and the arts. Cities with higher literacy rates often have more vibrant cultural scenes and intellectual discussions.

Literacy fosters better communication and understanding among individuals and can lead to more engaged and informed citizens, contributing to a more cohesive and civic-minded society. When I think about the future of our River City, I hope it is a place that looks like this. A city-wide literacy initiative is a great launching point.

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Literacy rates are a bit like the “chicken or egg” conundrum ― are literacy rates impacting our communities' success or are some of our biggest challenges a result of a literacy struggle? Either way, it is a smart investment and past time for broad engagement in literacy for our community.

I hope we can count on the City Council to support this funding, our business and nonprofit community to embrace this opportunity and our residents to pick up a book to read with a child.

Elizabeth Andersen represented District 2 on the board of Duval County Public Schools from 2018 to 2022. She lives in Jacksonville.

This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: City Council must support Mayor Deegan's agenda for tackling literacy