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SIUE expands Freedom School to three sites; presenters report improved reading outcomes
Summary
SIUE presenters told trustees the Freedom School program expanded from 50 to 150 students across three sites in 2025 and reported that 84% of participants maintained or improved reading skills and that parents reported increased confidence and civic engagement.
Dr. Tandra Taylor, assistant professor of history and interim director of the Institute for Community Justice and Racial Equity at SIUE, presented the university’s Freedom School program to the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees and described a 2025 expansion that grew the program from 50 to 150 students across three sites: Edwardsville, Alton and East St. Louis.
Dr. Taylor told trustees Freedom School is a six-week, immersive literacy program that pairs college students with elementary and middle-school participants to make reading “fun” through music, chants and culturally relevant texts. She said the program’s national partner is Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools and that SIUE is one of only two higher-education sponsors in Illinois and the only university sponsor that brings students on campus.
Dr. Taylor reported measurable outcomes from the program’s evaluations: 84% of participants maintained or improved reading skills over the six-week session, 96% of parents reported increased confidence in their children’s reading, and 94% reported they were more likely to engage in community and civic activities with their children after the program.
Student presenters described personal and leadership impacts. Anaya Sykes, a former servant-leader intern promoted to site coordinator, said her two summers with Freedom School strengthened her leadership skills and informed her career plans in education. Omar Jackson, a 2025 graduate, said the program increased his motivation and confidence and described service-learning and community engagement experiences tied to the curriculum.
Program logistics discussed with trustees included site capacity and recruiting. Each site supports up to 50 students; the Alton site is hosted by Alton Public Schools and limits enrollment to Alton students, while Edwardsville and East St. Louis include students from multiple districts. Dr. Taylor said recruiting relied on grassroots outreach in year one and that year two benefited from word-of-mouth and social media; the program also hired 20 student staff in 2025 and retained 83% of first-year servant-leader interns.
Trustees and other meeting participants commended the program’s focus on literacy and leadership. The presentation included a short video and remarks noting the program’s historical roots in Freedom Summer and its alignment with SIUE retention goals.
The transcript does not show a formal vote or funding decision tied directly to the Freedom School presentation in the provided excerpt.
