MARION COUNTY In Marion County, just 26% of third through eighth graders passed the English language arts section of ILEARN this year, according to RISE Indy; a staggering statistic is raising concerns over literacy rates in the community.

At Liberty Park Elementary School, students' eyes were glued to their teacher as they engaged in their lessons. Among the nurturing educators in the classroom is Troy Tate, a community member turned teacher assistant focused on supporting youth in Indianapolis' far east side.

Im in an environment where these professionals are helping me and teaching me the way to help the youth grow, said Tate.

He is part of a 16-week program with RISE INDY and Marion University, training community members in the Science of Reading, aiming to prepare them to work in l

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