A new report suggests Colorado has made some advances in promoting early literacy but still has a ways to go.
The report from the New America Foundation divides states into three broad categories: crawling, toddling, and walking. Colorado is a toddler, at the lower end of the scale. On five of seven indicators, Colorado ranked near the middle. The state did well on policies to ensure students are reading by third grade, according to the report.
A three-year old law here requires reading assessments from kindergarten through third grade and mandates specific interventions for struggling readers. But – along with six other states – Colorado ranked last in providing access to full-day kindergarten.
Overall, Colorado ranked 33rd among states in policies to promote early literacy.