Minnesota Literacy Day Rally at the Capitol on April 18

Gov. Walz to Address Literacy Advocates During Rally in the Rotunda
Contact: Laurie Berg, Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota, LBerg@decodingMN.onmicrosoft.com

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Literacy Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 18, will bring together Minnesota children, Gov. Tim Walz, and a bold coalition of literacy advocates who are collectively advocating for improved reading outcomes across Minnesota. These organizations represent and support tens of thousands of struggling readers and their families across the state, and their members will rally in the Capitol Rotunda at 10:00 am on April 18.

For decades, standardized test scores indicate nearly half of Minnesota students do not learn to read proficiently by the end of third grade. Reading proficiency is at a crisis level in our state; so much so, legislators and Gov. Walz have laid out plans to improve literacy achievement for all students across the state. Rep. Heather Edelson and Sen. Erin Maye Quade’s proposed Read Act has been merged with the governor’s BOLD Literacy Plan and is included in both the House and Senate K-12 Omnibus Education bills.

If passed, this policy will provide educators and districts statewide with professional development, coaching, and curriculum aligned with reading science. “This training is what teachers need to help all students, including those struggling to become proficient readers,” explained Kimberly Carlsen, president of Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota. “Educators have expressed a desire to engage in this training and our teachers and students deserve it.”

“What we know about how children learn to read has changed in the past two decades. The Read Act makes adjustments to apply what we know as the best science and ensures all schools in Minnesota have access,” noted Rep. Edelson, chief author of the House bill. “The Read Act is the result of many years of collaboration with Minnesota educators, intervention teachers, principals, curriculum directors, superintendents, professors, and parents throughout the State, on the best path forward for literacy in prekindergarten through grade 12.”

For many years, literacy advocates have recognized the negative trajectory of students who fail to learn to read in school. “Investments in literacy are investments in youth justice,” remarked House bill co-author, Rep. Sandra Feist. “We know low literacy skills directly correlate to involvement in the juvenile justice system. The Read Act will interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and decrease barriers for at-risk youth in achieving their full potential.”

According to Sen. Maye Quade, the author of the bill in the Senate, “The Read Act directly tackles inequities in literacy access for all students by making a historic investment in our students and our teachers. All students can learn to read. It’s a civil rights issue, one that must be addressed now.”

The governor and rally attendees will convene and call on legislators to pass a strong K-12 omnibus bill that will transform the way reading is taught in Minnesota schools. Nearly all students in Minnesota can read proficiently if they are given evidence-based instruction aligned with the science of reading.

Important Literacy Facts:

• The science of reading is an extensive body of research and evidence, over multiple decades, that proves how the brain learns to read.
• The process of reading is the same for everyone – no matter your color, disability, socioeconomic status, or motivation.
• Research indicates 95% or more of students can learn to read proficiently.
• Nearly 50% of Minnesota students cannot read at grade level by the end of third grade.
• Just three in 10 Minnesota students of color can read at grade level by the end of third grade.
• Only 29% of third graders on free or reduced lunch can read at grade level.
• Just two in 10 Minnesota students receiving special education services get the instruction they need to be a proficient reader.
• Students who are not reading proficiently by fourth grade have a less than 75% chance of ever catching up.

Speakers for Minnesota Literacy Day at the Capitol:

• Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota
• Peggy Flanagan, lieutenant governor of Minnesota
• Rep. Cheryl Youakim, 46B
• Rep. Heather Edelson, 50A
• Rep. Sandra Feist, 39B
• Sen. Erin Maye Quade, 56
• Sarah Carlson-Wallrath, International Dyslexia Association, board member and parent of a struggling reader
• Nafeesah Muhammad, a teacher from Minneapolis Public Schools
• Susan Thomson, ServeMinnesota, senior strategic analyst
• Two students from Minneapolis Public Schools
• Two students from St. Paul Public School
• Student from Macalester College
• Student from Wayzata Public School

Supporting Organizations include:

Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota, EdAllies, Great MN Schools, International Dyslexia Association – Upper Midwest Branch, MPS Academics Advocacy Group, National Parents Union, ServeMinnesota, The Reading Center/Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota, Groves Learning Organization

Rally Agenda for Tuesday, April 18:

9:45 am – Attendees gather in the Capitol Rotunda
10:00 am – Attendee Rally photo with the governor
10:10 am – Rally programming and speakers kicked off by Gov. Walz
11:00 am – Rally concludes

About Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota

The vision of Decoding Dyslexia Minnesota (DDMN) is for students to have equitable literacy instruction that meets their educational needs so they can reach their full potential. The mission of DDMN is to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children, and improve resources for students with dyslexia in Minnesota’s educational environments until all can read. DDMN strives to educate, advocate, and empower the community. https://decodingdyslexiamn.org/