Partnership with Vision To Learn leads to more than 25,000 vision screenings in 12 districts during 2021-2022 school year to enhance students’ abilities to focus and learn every day in Riverside County classrooms.
RIVERSIDE – Better concentration, the ability to see from the back of the room, and increased confidence in their reading skills, are just a few of the benefits that 6,273 students in 12 Riverside County school districts have enjoyed to start the 2022-2023 school year thanks to a new pair of glasses provided by Vision To Learn and the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE).
During the 2021-2022 school year, a partnership was launched between RCOE and the non-profit organization, Vision To Learn, to provide free on-site vision screenings, eye exams, and glasses, to students as needed, in Riverside County schools.
“Partnering with Vision To Learn in Riverside County has been a key action item that brings our Literacy by 5th Grade and Equity & Inclusive Practices Initiatives to life at school campuses. If students can’t see, they can’t read, and reading is fundamental to student success,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “We are thankful for the coordinated efforts from the Vision To Learn team and the 12 districts that have continued to bring a collaborative focus to a very real need for thousands of students.”
Data points encompassing the 2021-2022 school year include:
- 25,217 students received initial vision screenings at schools from 12 districts
- 8,727 students failed the initial vision screening in their classroom
- 7,869 students consented to a free, on-site eye exam
- 6,273 students selected frames, and received free prescription glasses
“Vision To Learn is proud to provide vision care to students in underserved areas of Riverside County," said Vision To Learn President, Ann Hollister. "Every child, every school, everywhere in the country, should have the glasses they need to succeed in school and in life."
The partnership is continuing during the 2022-2023 school year with schools in the following districts participating:
- Val Verde USD
- Lake Elsinore USD
- Riverside USD
- Jurupa USD
- Coachella Valley USD
- Perris ESD
- Alvord USD
- Palm Springs USD
- Moreno Valley USD
- Romoland SD
- Desert Sands USD
- Hemet USD
Here is what district leaders are saying about the impact of the partnership between RCOE and Vision To Learn on their students:
"Our students have benefited from the services of Vision To Learn tremendously. They are very responsive to the needs of our students and community in addition to delivering quality customer service,” said Dr. Chad Freeman, Administrator on Special Assignment, Alvord Unified School District.
"Vision To Learn has been a game changer for the students in our district. One of our district goals is to support literacy for all. We know that the gift of sight is essential to the ability to read. Without the support of Vision To Learn, many of our students would have missed out on that gift," said Dr. Emily Shaw, Wellness and Community Outreach Director, Hemet Unified School District.
"Vision To Learn has been an amazing resource to our community by providing services to our vulnerable populations. Our students with vision problems are not just being found, but receiving care and corrective lenses, they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. We have been so grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program," said Beth Marler, School Nurse, Lake Elsinore Unified School District.
“One of the challenges I encounter as a school nurse is connecting my students to the services they need. I was so thankful for the opportunity Vision To Learn offered to all of our elementary school students. By providing free eye exams and glasses, they eliminated the financial and transportation barrier that so many of our families experience," said Jackie Thompson, School Nurse, Nuview Union School District.
About the Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative
The Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative, launched in late 2020 by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, strives to promote and expand literacy throughout Riverside County. Strong literacy skills are the foundation of all learning and contribute to a student’s ability to graduate from high school academically and socially prepared for college, the workforce, and civic responsibility. Essential literacy skills include the ability to read, write, listen, speak, research, and represent, to think critically, create, collaborate, and communicate with empathy in all content areas. Resources available on the Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative website include access to online books, video tutorials for teachers of reading, recordings of RCOE educators reading to preschool-aged students, and more.
About Vision To Learn
Vision To Learn, a non-profit charity, started with one van in Los Angeles in 2012, has helped kids in underserved communities at over 12,000 schools and community organizations in 14 states. Vision To Learn serves the needs of the hardest-to-reach children; about 90% of kids served by Vision To Learn live in poverty and about 85% are kids of color. Since its inception, Vision To Learn has helped provide vision screenings to over 1,500,000 kids, provided over 290,000 kids with eye exams and over 230,000 with glasses, all free of charge to students and their families. For more information, please visit the Vision To Learn website.