New Mexico Lions Crane Reading Foundation

NMLCRF operates a reading lab equipped with 20 computers and software programs Lexia, My Reading Coach and Fluent Reading Trainer. The facility includes jump ropes, a ball throw back net, and balls to build gross motor skills. Younger students are given a template to use to trace circles, squares, and triangles, and then retrace the figures without the template. This process builds fine motor skills and improves handwriting.

In the 2009-2010 academic year, 23 students who reached Fluent Reading Trainer demonstrated significant reading improvement. The average reading speed increased from 185 wpm to 323 wpm. The average Lexile scores increased from 636 to 831, approximately 2 grade levels. Additionally, 10 students mastered the 60 Lexia kindergarten level activities, 8 students mastered more than 300 Lexia Primary Reading activities and 21 students mastered more that 300 Lexia Strategies for Older Students activities. Mastering 360 Lexia activities correlates with a minimum two grade level improvement in reading skills.

In the summer of 2008, 38 students reached Fluent Reading Trainer. These students averaged 128 words per minute at the beginning and 267 wpm at the end of the sessions. Three students who were going to be retained in grade improved their reading skills enough to be eligible for the next grade.

NMLCRF also provides vision care services for low income children. Over the last five years NMLCRF has fitted about 700 children with glasses.