Date

12-2025

Document Type

Capstone Project (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Department

Health, Human Services and Public Policy

Major

Collaborative Health and Human Services

Abstract

Students’ lack of foundational reading proficiency continues to be a significant barrier to academic success, particularly among bilingual and underserved communities. This capstone project was implemented at ProYouth, an expanded learning program serving students in grades K–12 in King City, California, where many families speak primarily Spanish and face limited time to support reading at home. The project aimed to strengthen students’ literacy skills through targeted small group reading interventions and to gather parent input through surveys to better understand student needs and family challenges. Intervention groups met daily during the six-week ProYouth Summer Program and utilized evidence-based strategies focused on phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Results showed measurable improvements in students’ foundational reading abilities, including letter sound recognition, word blending, and overall reading fluency. Parent surveys revealed common barriers such as limited English proficiency, time constraints, and uncertainty about effective home reading practices. The project met its primary goal of improving reading skills and partially met its secondary goal of increasing family engagement. Recommendations include expanding small group interventions during the school year, offering bilingual family literacy workshops, and increasing staff training in structured literacy approaches. Continued collaboration with families and sustained intervention efforts will support long-term literacy development and academic success.

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