Our Mission
WITS believes that literacy is the foundation on which all other learning develops. Our mission is to empower Chicago elementary students to discover themselves through reading while developing foundational literacy skills. We do this by creating community through literacy-based mentorship, enabling teachers to build diverse classroom libraries, and promoting book ownership at home.
According to data from The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), based on testing from 2025, only 41% of students in Chicago Public Schools are proficient in reading.
By year’s end, 62% of WITS students read at or above grade-level, nearly double the rate of 37% for all students at WITS schools.
80% of WITS-K teachers reported their students had developed specialized reading interests throughout the year, an increase of more than 44% from the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
91% of WITS students reported having positive attitudes towards reading at the end of the 2024-25 school year, up from 73% at the beginning of the year.
At the end of the 2024-25 school year, an across-program average of 94% of WITS students reported feeling good or very good about spending time with their mentors.
Our Impact
0
Books
Each year, WITS gives 10,600 books to students and teachers to build libraries. This initiative directly addresses the book-ownership gap affecting low-income families.
0
Students
WITS impacts the lives of over 4,300 students annually through mentorship and book ownership programs.
0
Mentors
WITS activates over 450 mentors annually in our corporate engagement programs and volunteer opportunities.
0
Grants
WITS offers 100 grants to Chicago Public School teachers annually, enabling them to purchase books for their classroom libraries that cater to their students' interests.
0
Partner Organizations
WITS works collaboratively with more than 35 organizations to ensure the consistent delivery of our mission while providing valuable and meaningful corporate engagement opportunities.
0
Schools
WITS programs are found in over 85 public schools in Chicago.
What We Are About
Who We Are
WITS is the largest provider of literacy enrichment programming and activator of corporate partnerships in Chicago Public Schools. WITS is comprised of over 85 Chicago elementary schools, over 35 partner organizations, and a network of hundreds of students, teachers, and volunteers.
What We Do
WITS provides a holistic literacy approach to empower students through two distinct program areas: Student Mentorship Programs and Book Granting Programs. Both are designed to enhance literacy and foster a love of reading, reaching students directly and indirectly through mentorship, classroom support, and book distribution.
Why We Do It
- Only 41% of students in Chicago Public Schools are proficient in reading.
- Functioning libraries are found in only 18% of CPS elementary schools.
- 71% of CPS students come from low-income families, and 61% of low-income families have no age-appropriate children’s books at home.
- Of employees who volunteer through employer-sponsored programs, 79% are satisfied with their jobs, compared to 55% who don’t volunteer that way.
Why WITS Programs Matter
According to data from The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), based on testing from 2025, only 41% of students in Chicago Public Schools are proficient in reading.
By year’s end, 62% of WITS students read at or above grade-level, nearly double the rate of 37% for all students at WITS schools.
One hundred percent of our partner teachers are satisfied with student participation in WITS. Teachers value that our programs promote a love of reading and support social-emotional development in students.
