early literacy Archives

Early Educators – Please Weigh In

Early Literacy | 07/28/2023

Krista Spurgin Executive Director

We know the importance of students reading on grade level by the end of third grade, so the Stand for Children team is collecting feedback through this survey from K-3 early literacy educators, administrators, and support staff, like interventionist. We will not share any identifiable information, including district or school information; we want to ensure we are hearing from educators across Colorado.

As champions of early literacy, we know the importance of educators having the necessary support, tools, and resources, to ensure all children are reading on grade level by the end of third grade. We want to understand how recent early literacy policy changes are working and where additional support is needed.

Educator voice is essential, so ff you are an early literacy educator and/or K-3 classroom administrator, please take a few minutes to share your feedback by completing the survey. 

This information will be compiled into materials to report out the views of educators and may be used to inform future policy to support early literacy educators.

Take the Survey

About Our Early Literacy Work:

Stand for Children Colorado has a longstanding and deep commitment to improving early literacy outcomes for Colorado students and supporting educators. In 2012, Stand supported the passage of the READ Act, Colorado’s early literacy policy to provide targeted supports for K-3 students reading significantly below grade level. In 2018, we championed HB18-1393, which strengthened the READ Act by increasing funding for Early Literacy Grants and for evidence-based approaches to be used. SB19-199 ensures that evidence-based literacy programming supports teacher training. In 2021, we advocated for the addition of a literacy-specific component to exams for teacher licensure to ensure that training programs prioritize using evidence-based reading approaches. Finally, in 2022, we championed SB22-004, which expands the science of reading training to principals and administrators. These policies were developed after hearing feedback from teachers about changes that would support them, and we are proud to advocate for them alongside educators from across the state.

We have also developed two reports studying early literacy in Colorado: Improving Early Literacy in Colorado: Realizing the Promise of the READ Act (2016) and The State of Literacy In Colorado (2017). 

Standing With You

Standing With You | 12/9/2022

Stand for Children

Stand for Children Colorado advances educational equity and racial justice in Colorado through meaningful partnerships with families, educators, schools, and policy makers. One of the ways we uphold this work is through our annual Advocacy Fellowship.

Stand Advocacy Fellows are community leaders advocating for policy solutions towards racial justice and equity in education.  With the support of Stand staff, advocacy fellows will deep dive into issues affecting Colorado communities today, co-create solutions, democratize knowledge back to their communities, work to break down barriers to power and access decision makers, and, in the process, build long lasting relationships and invaluable skills.

Learn about each fellow

Colorado State Board of Education passes inclusive social studies standards

Together with our supporters and other partners we raised our voices in favor of students learning accurate, fact-based accounts of history. Learn more here.

Celebrating Election Results

Volunteers sent 170,000 texts to Colorado voters to support education champions in this year’s election. In addition to the re-election of Governor Polis, and the election of Stand endorsed candidates in the State Legislature, we are incredibly excited about the election of Kathy Plomer and Rebecca McClelland to the State Board. View the full list of Stand Education Champions elected here.

Stand Event: Engaging Through Challenges

This October, we hosted the Center for High School Success, Teach Kindness, and Home Visit Partnerships in a free, webinar to introduce programs and strategies to support safe and supportive school environments that lead to effective student and family engagement and improved attendance.

“I am excited to continue this fellowship because Stand is dedicated to change-making for our students and communities. I am looking forward to making change through careful research, thoughtful advocacy, and strong partnerships in a state policy context. I loved working with families and the Stand for Children advocates in the past and am happy to continue that work.”

Thank you for standing for Colorado’s students, families, and educators. Whether you’ve signed a petition, emailed your lawmaker, or shared information with your family and friends, your action matters, and so does your support. Will you donate to support our work in 2023?

Every dollar raised will go towards:

Fighting to expand funding for the Ninth Grade On-Track and Expelled and At-Risk Student Services (EARSS) grant programs.
Providing families with training and resources to support their students outside of the classroom through workshops and one on one support to parents/guardians in schools we partner with.
Working to eliminate the, currently allowable, practice of lying to juveniles during interrogation.
Continued progress on early literacy outcomes for students

SB22-004 Moves to the House

Legislation | 04/7/2022

Kate Dando Doran Director of Communications

Senate Bill 22-004, which ensures principals and administrators are trained with the most up-to-date, research-based knowledge of how students learn to read, passed out of the Senate! It now moves to the House and lawmakers need to hear from you!

Will you take a minute to ask members of the House Education Committee to support SB22-004?

Colorado educator, Molly Veliz shares why this bill is so important saying,

“We have the opportunity to change the course for so many more students in Colorado to become successful, fluent readers. And when students can read, we know the world opens up to them.”

With your help, we can be one step closer to ensuring principals and administrators are equipped with the training needed to support educators in teaching students how to read!

TELL LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT SB22-004!