Early Literacy or Children’s Right to Read

There is overwhelming evidence that nearly all children can learn to read. And reading proficiently by the end of third grade is one of the most important indicators of future student success: Children who are not yet skillful readers by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school, and this rate doubles for Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds. Yet these are the very students who often are denied the “right to read.” As such, our nation’s children are currently experiencing a literacy crisis.

Why is this happening? This is largely because today’s classroom instruction does not reflect the scientific consensus about how a child learns to read. And scientifically based reading instruction can be hard —and expensive — to come by: Students from wealthier families can bypass flawed instruction by “outsourcing” reading instruction via private tutoring and additional supports, while those without the means to acquire such resources are left behind.

Most current teachers, sometimes unknowingly, still use ineffective, harmful, teaching methods. To make matters worse, the majority of novice elementary teachers (those who have just one or two years’ experience) are more likely to teach Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds. So, these inexperienced teachers often enter the classroom with training that can reflect a limited or flawed understanding of reading instruction.

When students are exposed to texts with rich, racially and culturally diverse characters, they will become more engaged readers with improved academic outcomes. But despite more than half of students being children of color, students don’t have access to curricula that includes a diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and identities that allow everyone to see themselves represented within the materials.

To provide high-quality literacy instruction to all students, particularly Black and Latino students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities, policymakers and education leaders at all levels must adopt policies and practices that ensure all students learn to read and have access to a diverse and culturally responsive set of instructional materials.

EdTrust is committed to bring early literacy to the forefront of education equity issues that our nation’s students are facing to create a sense of urgency. You can read more in the resources provided below. In addition, we have brought together some of the most renowned leaders in the literacy field to form an Early Literacy Advisory Council to help us chart a path forward.

The Literacy Crisis in the U.S. is Deeply Concerning—and Totally Preventable

There is currently a literacy crisis happening in the U.S., one that disproportionately affects students of color, and that cannot be ignored. Literacy is one of the major civil rights issues of our time, and our children’s future — and our nation’s democracy — depends on us addressing it now.

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Rigor and Representation in Children’s Books Foster a Love of Reading

Alarm bells have been ringing especially loud in recent years about the woeful state of reading in the United States, as reading tests have shown large drops in overall performance and disproportionate impacts from the pandemic on literacy rates, especially for students of color, students with disabilities, English learners, and students from low-income backgrounds.

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Teachers Need to Learn How to Teach Reading Effectively

More than 50 years of research provides a clear picture of effective literacy instruction. These strategies and methods — collectively called scientifically based reading instruction, which is grounded in the science of reading — could dramatically reduce the rate of reading failure.

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3 Things You Need to Know About Ongoing Reading Reform Efforts

Students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are less likely to receive high-quality, scientifically based reading instruction that validates their identity and interests, ultimately denying millions of bright students the core tools needed to become skillful readers.

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Why We Launched the New York Campaign for Early Literacy

The ability to read is a civil and human right. Reading proficiently by the end of third grade is one of the most important indicators of future student success. It also has significant implications for community outcomes such as employment, poverty, public safety, and health.

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Profiles in Education Equity: Byron Johns, Co-Founder, Black & Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence

Byron A. Johns is the co-founder of the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence (BBC), working with Identity, a Latino advocacy organization, to dismantle systemic barriers that disadvantage Black, Latino children and children from low-income backgrounds.

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• EdTrust-New York Early Literacy Campaign
• A Call to Action: The state of early literacy in New York
• Holding Students Back – An Inequitable and Ineffective Response to Unfinished Learning (EdTrust-MidWest)
• Literacy for All: Let’s Address One of the Most Common Barriers to Reading (EdTrust-MidWest)
• An Examination of The 2021 Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act (Tennessee Alliance)
• The Cost of Retention Memo (EdTrust-Tennessee)
• 2023 Tennessee Retention Legislation Tracker (EdTrust-Tennessee)

Hear from Tennessee SCORE and district leaders in Tennessee in the LIFT Network, as they shared core insights and advice on building the capacity of teachers and leaders to deliver standards-aligned literacy instruction to improve literacy outcomes.