Why Early Literacy Matters
United Way of Salt Lake advocates for policies that support strong public education, healthy children and families, and economic mobility for all Utahns. One of our legislative priorities during the 2026 general session is improving early literacy outcomes.
In 2022, the Utah legislature set a state goal of 70% of third-grade students reading on grade level by 2027. Despite this goal, a recent report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute revealed that only about half of Utah’s kindergarten through third-grade students are reading on grade level proficiently. United Way of Salt Lake believes everyone has a role to play in helping Utah children read and succeed.
“We need to make sure that all of the efforts to support kids and families and their early literacy are aligned and focused,” said Bill Crim, President & CEO of United Way of Salt Lake. “Imagine a world in which we go about addressing literacy as a team sport. Imagine a world where it’s not just on teachers and schools and school districts, but it is an entire community effort.”
Building a Strong Foundation
Early literacy builds a critical foundation for success throughout a student’s academic journey and beyond. Third grade marks the transition period when children shift from learning to read to reading to learn—using literacy skills as the primary method for accessing knowledge and skills in other subject areas. According to the Gardner Institute report, students who read on grade level by third grade are more likely to achieve stronger educational outcomes, graduate high school, and enroll in college at higher rates.
Additionally, adults with higher literacy skills attain higher employment rates, higher earnings, and better overall health. Higher literacy rates are also tied to stronger community engagement and civic participation. Beyond individual impacts, literacy influences outcomes for whole communities and contributes to greater economic prosperity for the entire state. “A more literate population strengthens the economy by expanding the skilled workforce, boosting productivity and innovation, and generating higher tax revenues,” the report states.
According to the report, proven strategies to strengthen literacy outcomes include evidence-based instruction and materials, strong teacher support, data-driven identification, intensive interventions, early learning and family engagement, and leadership and implementation.
Literacy as a State-Level Priority
United Way of Salt Lake’s advocacy has been instrumental in passing literacy-focused legislation over the years. In 2022, the Utah legislature passed SB 127 Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement. In addition to setting the 70% state literacy goal, this law aligned expectations across curriculum, assessment, professional learning, teacher preparation, and family engagement to support more robust and consistent early literacy practices statewide. While implementation of SB 127 continues in phases across Utah school districts, literacy is once again taking center stage as a priority for the state legislature this session.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox identified literacy as a top legislative priority this year during his 2026 State of the State address on January 22. “Our goal is this: every child reading well, early, and with confidence,” he said. “That means high standards and individualized support for struggling readers. Literacy is a policy choice. It means families, schools, and the state pulling in the same direction.” The governor also included significant funding for literacy in his budget recommendations for fiscal year 2027 including $20 million for reading support in elementary schools with fewer than 70% of students reading at grade level and $500,000 for a literacy campaign.
Although state budgets are expected to be cut by up to 5% this year, it’s clear that investing in early literacy is crucial for achieving better outcomes for our youth, our communities, and our state.
Get Involved
We need your voice to help us advocate for policies that strengthen early literacy during the 2026 legislative session. Sign up for Action Alerts and subscribe to our Policy Matters newsletter to receive updates about our advocacy on early literacy and our other policy priorities throughout the session. You can use our 2026 Bill Tracker to follow literacy-focused bills as they move through the legislative process. Finally, keep an eye out for opportunities to join us on the Hill in the coming weeks.
You can also support Read Across America Day, one of our signature Year of Action campaigns dedicated to sharing the joy of reading with thousands of elementary students across the Salt Lake Valley. Volunteer to support literacy events throughout early March and donate to help put more books in local classrooms.
Together we can ensure that every child in Utah has the resources and support they need to read proficiently and, ultimately, thrive.
Written by Jenna Fischer, Content Strategist
