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Support equitable access to books and funding to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across Virginia The $4.6 million biennium budget request will make Imagination Library books available to all children from birth to age 5 in Virginia. This provides a 50% match funding for books and mailing for all local programs, and it also provides […]

We are incredibly thankful to each and every one of you for helping us make literacy a top priority. 40% of our third graders cannot read proficiently. We live in a digital world and our young children spend more time on devices and gaming than any other activity. If we are going to solve the […]

E3: Elevate Early Education is one year in on tackling the reading crisis as our next big problem to solve. Too many of our children cannot read. In fact, 40% cannot read proficiently by third grade, and in some communities, it is even worse. Reading by third grade is a predictor of academic and life […]

We are thankful for everyone who is part of The Kids Need to Read campaign. All of our wonderful sponsors, everyone who attended a READing Rally with Super Bowl Champion and children’s author Malcolm Mitchell, and every advocate for helping every child read by 3rd grade.  

The Benefits for Young Children? Builds language and vocabulary skills. Creates strong bonds and a social-emotional connection between children and adults. Increases brain development as you read the story, show your expression and make sounds of every word. Helps children(adults too) calm down, relax and transition to nap or bedtime. The How? Build a library […]

A BIG thank you to our General Assembly members, legislative staff, the governor and his administration for making literacy initiatives a top priority. A child’s ability to read by third grade is a predictor of academic and life success. Over half of Virginia’s children aren’t reading by third grade. The legislature made a strong commitment […]

The early years are a critical time in language and literacy development. 90% of a child’s brain is developed before the age of five. Early literacy activities create more brain connections in the area of cognitive development and language. The reading network in the child’s brain doesn’t naturally exist; it must be built.  During the early […]

Did you know? There is new research that confirms early reading for fun with young children is linked to many positive outcomes.

What an honor to have Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, distinguished guests and E3 School alumni with us for the Governor’s salary donation. The donation will help fund scholarships to increase equitable access for more children and the Lisa Robertson Literacy Lab + Library @ The New E3 School. The Robertson […]

What to Do with Babies Talk. Talk. Talk. They need to hear words to help their brains develop. Repeat the sounds they make back to them. Talk about what you are doing as you unload the groceries, cook dinner or go through town. Use books to provide back and forth interactions. Read aloud using a […]

Reading aloud and listening to a story benefits all children at every age. Listening to a story will: •Ignite a ❤️ of reading. •Boost language development in young children. •Build vocabulary and comprehension. •Spark creativity + the imagination. •Develop problem-solving + critical-thinking skills. Research says that reading to a young child will boost their language […]

Dear Advocates + Friends: We cannot thank you enough for the calls, emails, letters and texts you sent to make early literacy a top priority during the 2024 General Assembly session. It truly was a team effort and it worked! There were hundreds of letters sent to legislators. Thanks in part to your advocacy, the […]

Books Improve Literacy Outcomes for ALL Children! Every child deserves access to age-appropriate, high-quality books that spark a love of reading + learning! Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Virginia (DPIL) – HB 1075 DPIL is a book gifting program that mails books to children before they enter kindergarten. The books come with tips and tools […]

Dear Advocates: It is budget time and legislators need to hear from you again! Thank you for all of your support of the literacy policy initiatives that are critical to building, implementing + investing in the Virginia Literacy Act(VLA) to help more children read by third grade. Recent data tells us that 1 in 6 […]

Dear Advocates: The big game may be over, but it is “halftime” at the General Assembly. If we take action and run the right plays, we can secure big wins for our children, families, teachers and schools. The first eight years are a critical time in a child’s language and literacy development. A child’s ability […]