Even more impressively, low-income third graders at Indian River schools scored better than the statewide average for all students. And, perhaps not surprisingly, when we went looking for high-poverty schools that were nevertheless getting good outcomes in reading, we identified three of the district’s schools 鈥� Rosewood Magnet, Fellsmere Elementary and Pelican Island Elementary 鈥� for our 鈥�Bright Spots鈥� list. Fellsmere in particular stood out: Based on its 99% poverty rate, our calculations predicted that it would have a third grade reading rate of just 29%. But its actual rate was much higher, at 53%.

Indian River County was never exactly a failing district, but a decade ago it was performing a bit worse than the state as a whole. It has since begun to pull away, especially in third grade. Coming out of the pandemic, 60% of district third graders scored proficient in reading in 2023. That figure rose to 63% in 2024 and then jumped again, to 69%, in 2025.

The district鈥檚 gains are also widespread. Last year, 100% of Indian River County’s elementary schools earned an A or B rating, with no Cs, Ds or F. In comparison, nearly 1 in 3 elementary schools earned a C or below statewide. As a whole, the district has now earned an A grade from the state for three consecutive years.

So how is Indian River County getting these results?

A 10-part video series produced by the tells what happened. It makes a compelling case that these results are attributable to a distinctive public-private partnership between the district and a nonprofit called The Learning Alliance. The story starts with two moms, Liz Woody-Remington and Barbara Hammond, whose children were struggling to read. In 2010, they asked themselves: What would it take to get 90% of the district’s children reading on grade level by the end of third grade?

In 2012, then-Superintendent Fran Adams bought into the goal and had the district鈥檚 school board officially it. And the moms’ informal advocacy work has morphed into , a nonprofit with $5.8 million in last year. Today, that money provides funding for 25 literacy coaches, free afterschool and summer and a to help parents prepare their children for kindergarten.

The district鈥檚 literacy work is grounded in what鈥檚 known as . Originally by researchers Philip Gough and William Tunmer, this theory suggests that, to read well, children must know how to decode letters into sounds and have enough background knowledge to recognize what those words mean. The district’s afterschool program, for example, employs this method. Funded by The Learning Alliance, it gives students who need extra help with literacy explicit instruction on the letters or sounds they鈥檙e learning during the school day. It also uses stories, art and music as a way to build vocabulary and connect and engage the students.

During the school day, teachers take a similar approach using the curriculum from Amplify. They also receive extensive coaching and regular feedback on their classroom practice. In the videos, district leaders, principals and the local union leader all spoke about the value of that coaching. Mar鈥檚ha Roberts, a teacher at Vero Beach Elementary, noted that, 鈥淏eing under such high expectations, it was a little rough at first. But they helped me to see what I was good at and gave me great feedback, and that really built my confidence.鈥�

The district鈥檚 reading scores really seemed to take off after David Moore was hired as superintendent in 2019. In 2024, he was named the Florida Superintendent of the Year, and he plays a prominent role in the video series, speaking eloquently about the importance of providing teachers with coaching and support and relentlessly using data to drive instruction.

But perhaps most relevant here, Moore understood the importance of the early grades as a  long-term investment. He saw the need to make sure young students never get behind and bemoans the fact that, because state accountability systems typically start with third grade, principals tend to assign their best teachers to those . When principals neglect the earlier grades in this way, Moore cautions, 鈥測ou鈥檙e playing catch-up the entire experience of that child.鈥�

Despite the recent gains mentioned above, Indian River County has not yet reached its ultimate goal of having 90% of students reading proficiently by third grade. That is an ambitious target, but Hammond says she believes in the importance of having that shared goal across the community. Toward the end of the video series, she notes that, 鈥淪uperintendents come and go. School boards come and go. Without the community understanding this and holding the goal, the reform won鈥檛 last.鈥� 

Through a unique collaboration between the and , the community now ranks 12th in state literacy, up from 31st just four years ago. This dramatic improvement wasn’t magic 鈥� it was the result of a systematic, community-wide approach to literacy that could serve as a model for districts nationwide.

The key to our success? A comprehensive public-private partnership that treats literacy as a community mission rather than just a school district initiative. The Learning Alliance, a nonprofit based in Vero Beach, has created an integrated support system that extends from birth through elementary school and beyond.

Its partnership with the school district works because it addresses literacy from multiple angles all in service of one goal 鈥� 90% of students reading on grade level by the end of third grade. 

To achieve this goal, the alliance funds 25 literacy coaches and reading interventionist positions within the district, ensuring that every school has dedicated expertise to implement the science of reading in grades K through 3. The district provides similar support in older grades. 

But that鈥檚 not all. The nonprofit engages families with children from birth to age 5, providing more than 5,500 age-appropriate books and 1,700 learning kits annually to under-resourced families. It also supports robust after-school and summer tutoring programs through the Moonshot Academy, where students show 50% more growth in reading compared to their peers not in the program. The afterschool program runs in the district schools, largely with district teachers compensated for their extra work by the Alliance.

The results speak for themselves. Indian River has doubled the percentage of A- and B-rated schools from 47% to 95%, and our third-grade reading scores now outperform the state average by nine percentage points (64% versus 55%). These aren鈥檛 just statistics 鈥� they represent thousands of children who now have the foundational skills they need to succeed in school and life.

Critical to this success has been the Moonshot Community Action Network, a coalition of over 150 local leaders who ensure that early literacy remains a community priority. This network includes business leaders, healthcare providers, faith-based organizations, and community advocates who understand that literacy is fundamental to our community鈥檚 future prosperity.

For superintendents and district leaders reading this, we offer several practical recommendations:

• First, look beyond traditional funding models. While public education funding is essential, strategic partnerships with community organizations can provide both financial resources and expertise that complement district capabilities.

• Second, invest in literacy coaches and reading interventionists. Having dedicated literacy experts in every school creates a support system for teachers and ensures consistent implementation of evidence-based reading instruction.

• Third, extend your teaching time. Our Moonshot Academy afterschool program creates opportunities for students to make more progress in less time. It pairs intensive tutoring with enrichment activities to boost engagement, and it works: students in the afterschool program average at least 50% more growth in reading than peers who do not participate.聽

• Fourth, expand your reach beyond school walls. The family partnerships program demonstrates that literacy support must begin before kindergarten and continue outside school hours to be truly effective.

• Fifth, build community coalitions. The broader community鈥檚 investment in literacy creates a sustainable ecosystem of support that survives changes in school leadership or funding fluctuations.

For philanthropists and community organizations, think beyond traditional grant-making. The most effective partnerships involve deep collaboration with schools, shared accountability for outcomes, and a long-term commitment to the community.

Our journey hasn鈥檛 been without challenges, but it鈥檚 proven that significant improvements in literacy are possible with the right partnership model. The students鈥� success isn鈥檛 just about test scores 鈥� it鈥檚 about creating a foundation for lifelong learning and opportunity.

The pandemic may have created unprecedented challenges for education, but it has also shown us the power of community collaboration. In Indian River County, we鈥檝e demonstrated that when schools and community organizations work together with shared purpose and accountability, we can achieve remarkable results.

The question isn鈥檛 whether this model can work. The question is: Who will be next to replicate it?