SMART is a program that helps kids become confident readers by providing them with individual volunteer attention and books to take home and keep.

Our Story

We could tell you our history. How we got started in 1992. How our mission was, and remains, to help Oregon kids master the single skill that will shape the rest of their lives: learning to read. How volunteers are the heart and soul of our operation. How far we've come.

But the real story is in the facts:

• 1 in 3—33%—of Oregon fourth graders reads below the basic level.
• Studies show that children need to learn to read by third grade so they can read to learn.
• Those who don't learn to read by third grade are more likely to struggle with reading as adults, drop out of school, and be less successfully employed.

And the most important fact of all:

Fifth graders who have participated in SMART are 60 percent more likely to reach state reading benchmarks than are similar students who did not participate.*

*Eugene Research Institute study

That, in a nutshell, is our story. Our program is proven. Our continued success is in your hands. Come help us make readers, and in doing so, change lives. And history.

For more information about the SMART Oregon program, visit getsmartoregon.org