Literacy is the Key: Building Arizona kids’ future success

Read On Arizona, the state’s early literacy initiative, just launched Literacy is the Key, a statewide campaign with a clear directive: Literacy is the key to a successful future for children in Arizona.

Research shows the single most important key to preparing students for future learning and the workforce is ensuring they can read by the end of third grade.

But right now, fewer than half of Arizona’s third graders are reading proficiently, which has long-term implications for Arizona’s schools, workforce and economy.

Terri Clark, Arizona Literacy Director at Read On Arizona, joined us to discuss why early literacy is essential to students’ academic success and to reaching Arizona’s economic goals.

Strong reading skills are the foundation of a competitive workforce and strong workforce pipeline, and families and educators can work together to support young readers.