The purpose of this document is to provide information to Colorado educators related to roles and responsibilities for implementation of the Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (HB 12-1238, Colorado READ Act).

Colorado's school readiness initiative is an essential component of the state's educational improvement policies designed to ensure all Colorado's children graduate ready for college and career. Colorado's educational improvement policies exemplify a continuous improvement cycle at all levels of the educational system: classroom, school, district, and state department of education.

Achieving reading competency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone for every student and predicts ongoing educational success. If a student enters fourth grade without achieving reading competency, he or she is significantly more likely to fall behind in all subject areas beginning in fourth grade and later grades. Early literacy development is not only a critical milestone in a child's path to success, but it is also one of Colorado's...