The Civics Academy: How One Community is Changing the Narrative on Reading Proficiency

Steubenville, Ohio, a city of approximately 18,000 residents on the western edge of the state, is a former steel town with a rich history and a resilient spirit. With a median household income of $47,057 and 30% of its residents holding a college degree or higher, Steubenville shares many similarities with other small Midwestern cities striving to overcome economic challenges.

In comparison, Beloit, Wisconsin—home to around 37,000 residents—has a higher median household income of $59,978 but a lower percentage of college-educated residents at 18%.

Despite these differences, Steubenville has achieved a remarkable educational milestone: 93% of its third-grade students are proficient in reading. To compare, in the School District of Beloit, only 21.7% of students are proficient in English Language Arts.

What’s behind Steubenville’s success? How has this small city managed to defy expectations and cultivate strong early literacy outcomes?

We invite you to join us for an inspiring conversation with Lynnett Gorman, Principal of Pugliese West Elementary School in Steubenville, as she shares insights, strategies, and lessons learned from her community’s journey to educational excellence. Let’s explore what’s possible when a community comes together to prioritize early literacy.

An educator, Lynnett asks that attendees do their homework in advance. Please read:

https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/02/20/steubenville-ohio-reading-success-for-all?utm_source=The+74+Million+Newsletter&utm_campaign=57a9bf62b1-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_07_08_05_36_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-a2f2baef9c-177412124

Listen: https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2025/02/20/sold-a-story-e11-the-outlier, and episodes 12 and 13.

Lunch is on us! The Civics Academy is sponsored by PPC Foundation, Stateline Community Foundation, and Beloit Public Library Foundation. Each session includes a free lunch when you are among the first 25 people to register in advance.

Beloit Public Library’s Know Your Local Government and the City of Beloit’s Community Academy have merged to form a new program, The Civics Academy. Beloit Public Library (BPL) will host The Civics Academy as a lunch-and-learn at the library and will include presentations on public finance, city services, and other topics that are important to our community. The goal is to inform residents about their local government and community and, in turn, support positive change in the City of Beloit. The inaugural series will run October 2024 through May 2025.