DENVER – Reading by the end of third grade sets the stage for much of what follows in school. In Colorado, though, nearly 60% of third graders are not yet proficient in reading – and that number has not improved in a decade, according to Colorado Can Read, a new brief released today by the Colorado Children’s Campaign.
Colorado Can Read lays out a roadmap for improving reading proficiency by updating and strengthening policy so that Colorado has a comprehensive, statewide approach to reading instruction.
Each year, about 32,000 Colorado children move into fourth grade without the reading skills they need. That gap is more common among students from low-income families, multilingual learners, and Black and Hispanic students.
“Reading is the skill nearly everything else in school depends on. When a child reaches fourth grade without it, catching up gets much harder,” said Madi Ashour, Director of K-12 Education Policy at the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “The encouraging part is that almost every child can learn to read with the right instruction. By strengthening our state’s policies and focusing on implementation and investment, Colorado can join other states that have helped more children learn to read and lead the nation in making a difference for kids.”
The brief points to evidence from policy research and from other states that policy changes can support reading proficiency. It highlights five conditions for success: evidence-based reading instruction, early identification of struggling readers, targeted intervention, skill-based fourth-grade promotion, and ongoing support for teachers.
Colorado already has a foundation to build on in the READ Act, the state’s existing early literacy law, which aims to help all students read by the end of third grade. But the law hasn’t been implemented fully, and it does not include all of the conditions needed to improve proficiency rates. Colorado Can Read calls on state leaders to update the READ Act to ensure every child has access to evidence-based reading instruction and supports.
“Colorado’s reading results haven’t moved in a decade, and the same groups of students keep falling behind,” said Maya Gould, Vice President of Research at the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “What the research tells us is that this is fixable — we know a great deal about how to teach reading well, and the states that have put that evidence to work have seen real gains.”
Colorado Can Read is the first brief in Kids in Focus, the Colorado Children’s Campaign’s annual research brief series. Each brief brings together the best available data and research on issues affecting Colorado kids and families, identifies evidence-based solutions, and provides a path forward for policymakers and community leaders.
Release Information: Please contact Vice President of Communications Jackie Zubrzycki at Jackie@ColoradoKids.org for more information, a copy of the brief, or to arrange an interview.
About the Colorado Children’s Campaign: At the Colorado Children’s Campaign, we use data and research to identify what kids across our state need most, then advocate for policies that strengthen their well‑being and help them thrive. Our focus is the whole child, working across Early Childhood, K‑12 Education, Health, and Economic Security for the greatest long‑term impact. For more information, please visit ColoradoKids.org.