America Reads, a national campaign started in 1997, challenges every American to help our children learn to read well and independently. Building on the success of America Reads, America Counts was initiated in 1999 to improve young students' achievements in mathematics.

NYU's America Reads program began in 1997 with 600 tutors in 43 schools in New York City School Districts 1 and 2. America Reads/America Counts will expand its existing footprint of 850 tutors in 75 New York City public schools. It will include approximately 150 additional America Reads/America Counts tutors serving in 10 new Title I public schools in Brooklyn, Harlem and the Bronx and 2-4 nonprofit organizations and community centers throughout the city. The expansion aims to alleviate the effects caused by the interruption of in-person learning in New York City public schools that further exacerbated the achievement gap between students from lower and higher income families.