{"id":1307,"date":"2025-02-25T19:17:12","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T19:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stand.org\/oregon\/?page_id=1307"},"modified":"2026-01-07T21:51:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T21:51:22","slug":"early-litereacy-success-grants","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stand.org\/oregon\/early-litereacy-success-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Invest in Oregon\u2019s Future: Fully Fund Early Literacy at $300 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Invest in Oregon\u2019s Future: Fully Fund Early Literacy at $300 Million<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Right now, in classrooms across Oregon, children are brimming with potential. They are eager to learn, curious about the world, and ready to thrive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But last year only 40% met the third grade literacy benchmark<\/strong>, which means 60% or over 25,500 children did not. And the racial disparities are especially alarming: just 22% of Black\/African American students, 25% of Hispanic\/Latino students, 20% of Native Hawaiian\/Pacific Islander, 24% of American Indian\/Alaska Native and a mere 6% of English learners meet the vital third grade literacy milestone.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Oregon remains one of the few states where students have yet to show a post pandemic rebound<\/strong>. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE RECEIVED PARTIAL FUNDING IN 2023 <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, lawmakers made a critical first step with the Early Literacy Success Initiative, investing $90 million in school grants to help students build the foundation for a lifetime of learning through these four research-aligned strategies: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Job-embedded coaching for educators <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. High-dosage tutoring for children <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Summer learning for children <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Research-aligned curriculum, assessments, and culturally relevant books and materials<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    That investment is already transforming lives; to give every child in Oregon a real shot at success, we need to fully invest $300 million in the Early Literacy Success Initiative School Grants <\/strong>in order to reach all of Oregon\u2019s 240,000 kindergarten through third graders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The state\u2019s initial investment of $90 million brought new energy and possibility to our schools. Since implementation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n