The Idaho Legislature, the Governor, the State Board of Education, and the Idaho Department of Education, shall acknowledge that reading is the highest priority in Idaho elementary schools, and resources shall be allocated to provide access to research-based reading methods in every school. Reading is essential to success in our society. The highest priority of Idaho's government and educational community must be to provide the material and human resources needed to achieve reading success for all of Idaho's children. This goal is attainable and requires the support and commitment that goes beyond political advantages.
Parents are important as their children's first teachers.
Research indicates that parent involvement in reading acquisition is essential in providing the foundation for the learning so important to reading success in schools. Literacy acquisition is facilitated and accelerated by insuring that in the pre-school years appropriate foundations in language development and print awareness are established. Enriched pre-school programs can provide children a more secure foundation for becoming effective readers. Working with parents and children during these early years is an extremely cost effective approach to making sure children are fluent readers by the end of the third grade. Commit to three years of funding support.