~Innovative plan to ensure that low-income students are reading on grade-level by the end of third grade picked from more than 100 applicants~ An ambitious plan to ensure that more city of Richmond children are reading at grade level by the end of third grade has been chosen as a finalist for the All-America City Award , sponsored each year by the National Civic League.   The plan was submitted by a community coalition that included Richmond Public Library Richmond Public Schools, the City of Richmond’s Early Childhood Development Initiative, and United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg. Other partners include Communities in Schools, RVA Promise Neighborhood, Children’s Museum of Richmond, and the Literacy Institute at VCU. Richmond is one of 32 finalists selected through a peer review process from a field of more than 100 entries across the country. Winners will be announced July 2 in Denver, Colorado. Beyond the award contest, Richmond’s plan makes the city a ch...