Why Literacy Matters.
“Literacy is the very foundation of democracy.”
— Dr. Timothy Shanahan
Economic Impact
Adults with low literacy are twice as likely to be unemployed
Low-literate adults earn 30–42% less on average than peers with strong reading skills
Improving adult literacy by just 1% could boost productivity by $225 billion nationally (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
Northern California communities disproportionately rely on industries requiring foundational reading, math, and communication skills—yet many residents enter the workforce without them.
K-12 Imperative
Students who are not reading proficiently by 3rd grade are 4x times more likely to drop out of high school
In high-poverty communities, the dropout risk rises to 13 times higher (Annie E. Casey Foundation)
Only 35% of California students meet grade-level expectations in ELA (CA Dashboard, 2023)
Strong Tier 1 core instruction and evidence-based early interventions dramatically reduce later academic and behavioral challenges.
“Low literacy is one of the root causes of poverty and inequality in this country.”
— Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
The Need for Science-based Literacy Instruction
Decades of research show that explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension is the most effective way to help learners of all ages—children, teens, and adults—become confident, capable readers.
National experts estimate that up to 95% of students can read at or near grade level with high-quality instruction and well-designed intervention.
But across Northern California, many learners still lack access to instruction grounded in this science. Rural districts, alternative education programs, adult literacy providers, and volunteer tutoring initiatives often operate with limited training, outdated curricula, or inconsistent approaches. This means that even the most dedicated efforts—by teachers, para-educators, librarians, tutors, and community volunteers—may not produce the results our learners deserve.
Dr. Anita Archer
“If a child isn’t learning to read, we must change the instruction—not the child.”
Partner with us.
Consider reaching out to discuss how we might strengthen literacy outcomes across our region.