Salem, OR – Today, Governor Tina Kotek’s legislation to strengthen the state’s early literacy efforts received a public hearing in the House Education Committee. House Bill 3040 demonstrates the Governor’s ongoing resolve to make sure our youngest learners become confident, capable readers and writers.
“Every Oregon child deserves a world class education, no matter where they live or how well-off their families are. Learning to read and write is the foundation on which they build their futures,” Governor Kotek said. “As we continue to roll out the Early Literacy Success Initiative, we owe it to our students to stay focused on the details and get this right.”
“To deliver on our promise of a high-quality education for Oregon’s young learners, the research on effective reading instruction must inform how our educators teach our children to read and write,” Representative Jason Kropf (D-Bend) said. “I am grateful to the Governor and her team, and the advocates, educators, families, and students who continue to champion the Early Literacy Success Initiative and the investments needed to help our kids thrive.”
Recognizing that Oregon’s young students were falling behind in reading and writing skills, the Governor worked with legislators in 2023 to pass the Early Literacy Success Initiative (HB 3198). The first year of implementation laid the critical foundation to help every child in Oregon read and write with confidence and competence, with nearly 80% of school districts having now adopted research-aligned core curriculum.
Governor Kotek proposed an additional $127 million investment in early literacy in her recommended budget and introduced House Bill 3040 to strengthen and refine the program by:
- Supporting and preparing the educators and assistants in the classroom. This includes expanding access to professional development for classroom assistants, who are essential partners in young learners’ success.
- Making sure all students – no matter their zip code – learn to read and write with research-backed materials and strategies by requiring school districts and public charter schools to adopt research-aligned early literacy instructional materials, approved by the State Board of Education. Districts and public charters also would be required to participate in training and improvement activities.
- Strengthening the state’s ability to be a resource to schools and districts by adding a regional network of literacy experts within Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to build consistent coaching opportunities and support district and school level literacy specialists.
Early literacy skills are crucial. Improving early literacy increases outcomes for college application, college graduation, household income, and employment. Conversely, children who struggle with reading by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, significantly impacting their future academic and career prospects.
In addition to retooling the way that school districts teach our youngest students how to read, the Governor has proposed an update to Current Service Level funding for the State School Fund to make the state a more predictable funder of school districts, recommended ongoing summer learning investments, and is calling for a renewed accountability system to monitor and improve student outcomes.
