Reading

"When does a child learn to read? Many would answer kindergarten or first grade. But researchers have found strong evidence that children can begin to learn reading and writing in their earliest years, long before they go to school."

-- National Institute for Literacy

Reading: The Engine for School Success

With Connecticut facing the largest reading gap in the nation, a panel discussion was held in Hartford on April 5, 2011 to identify what changes need to be made in the way we teach our children how to read. The Commission was one of the partners in the event, which was sponsored by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and hosted by the legislature's Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. Watch video, download documents, and more

Reading Readiness Begins Long Before Kindergarten

Here are the PowerPoint slides (in PDF format) that Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman used in a webinar on early reading success held by the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) on December 1, 2010.

All Children Can Read by Fourth Grade

Brain research shows that reading is teachable to 95 percent of our students. Yet 10 to 40 percent of them will have difficulty learning to read and need specialized instruction. That's just one of the key facts in this document, which outlines Connecticut's trailblazing efforts to improve school readiness. Download the PDF

Every Grownup Is a Famous Storyteller

This booklet, created by the Commission and sponsored by the state Department of Education, uses a photo exhibit to make basic points about the importance of reading to children. Dr. Alice S. Carter of Yale University's Department of Psychology provides an introduction. Download the PDF

Oral Language

What language skills does a child need to develop before entering kindergarten or first grade? Here's a checklist prepared by the Commission. Download the PDF

104 Books Every Child Should Read

Recommended by the New York Public Library, with additions from the Connecticut State Library. Download the PDF.

Important Early Reading Legislation

Below is the most important legislation adopted in recent years to ensure that Connecticut children become early readers. See other articles on this page for plain-language summaries. To research the legislative history of any bill, visit the General Assembly website.

2012: An Act Concerning Educational Reform (Public Act 12-116) -
2006: An Act Implementing the Provisions of the Budget Concerning Education (Public Act 06-135) - Requires priority school districts to use Early Reading Success grant dollars more effectively by relying on research-based teacher instruction.
2004: An Act Concerning Teacher Education Programs at Institutions of Higher Education (Public Act 04-75) - Requires teacher-training institutions to include instruction on literacy skills.
1999: An Act Concerning a State-Wide Early Reading Success Institute (Public Act 99-227) - Among other things, created the Early Reading Success Panel and charged it with determining what skills and knowledge teachers need to teach reading effectively.
1999: An Act Concerning Education Accountability (Public Act 99-288) - Requires schools to explain why children are promoted if they have not reached grade-level expectations.
1998: An Act Concerning Early Reading Success (Public Act 98-243) - Provided an additional $20 million to urban and priority school districts for early reading intervention.
1997: An Act Concerning School Readiness (Public Act 97-259) - Created a comprehensive preschool initiative for children aged 3 and 4. For an overview, download this Commission summary, updated in 2005.

Reading: Organizations that can help

In Connecticut, many organizations are eager to help children and adults achieve literacy. Others offer valuable research data. You'll find links to them here.

Connecticut Early Childhood Education Cabinet

Also known as the Governor's Early Childhood Education Cabinet, this panel was created in 2005 to advise on school readiness issues, evaluate current school readiness programs, and assist in developing budget scenarios for early childhood education programs. Its members include Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman. Its documents are posted online by The United Way of Connecticut. Visit this site

Excerpts on reading achievement from "Fine by Nine: All Children Healthy, Safe and Successful in School by Age 9," submitted to the Cabinet by its Goal 2 Committee in May 2008. Download the PDF
"Ready by 5 & Fine by 9," published in October 2006, is the Cabinet's suggested framework for early childhood education. Download the PDF
Governor Rell held the first meeting of the cabinet on September 2005. Press release

Teacher Preparation: The Key to Early Reading Success

Most teacher-education programs fail to train future teachers in research-based methods of reading instruction. This PowerPoint presentation by Margie Gillis, Ed.D., of New Haven-based Haskin Laboratories, highlights the reasons why so many teachers are ill-prepared -- and what can be done about it. Download the PDF

School Readiness and Early Reading Success newsletters

These Commission newsletters concern implementation of the school readiness legislation.

December 2004 - Download the PDF
August 2003 - Download the PDF
April 2002 - Download the PDF
February 2001 - Download the PDF
March 1999 - Download the PDF
July 1998 - Download the PDF

National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) publications

The NIFL, an arm of the U.S. Department of Education, offered an assortment of free publications for parents and educators interested in promoting early literacy. Unfortunately, the agency was shut down in 2010. But another federal agency—the Literacy and Information Communication System (LINC), which focuses on adult literacy—still offers many NIFL publications for downloading as PDF files. Printed copies are no longer available. Publications for eduators | Publications for parents

This page was last updated: November 14, 2012