Every child a reader by the end of third-grade is a critical component of District 49’s vision and mission, establishing a Firm Foundation for Every Student. The Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act was passed by the Colorado legislature in 2012 and was reauthorized in May, 2019. 

The READ Act focuses on early literacy development (in grades K-3) for all students, but especially for those at risk of not achieving grade-level reading proficiency outcomes. To address the components of the READ Act, District 49 identifies students with a significant reading deficiency, provides skill-based interventions for those students, and engages parents as partners in reading development through the creation of a READ Plan. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) funds school districts based upon the number of students with a significant reading deficiency (SRD). READ funds must be used to provide evidence-based interventions, provide tutoring and summer school programming, and professional development for teachers.

With the passage of Senate Bill 21-151 (PDF), the General Assembly enacted the Literacy Curriculum Transparency Act. The act amends the "Colorado READ Act" to require each local education provider to submit the following information to the department of education and requires the department to post the information on its website:

• The core and supplemental reading curriculum, or a detailed description of the reading curriculum by grade, used in each of the local education provider's schools.
• The core and supplemental reading instructional programs and intervention reading instruction, services, and other supports provided in each of the local education provider's schools.
• The number of students enrolled in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades who have READ plans, as well as the number of students who have achieved reading competency.

Literacy Transparency Legislation and the CDE's Tableau webpage can be found here.

(www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ literacy curriculum transparency)