Governor’s Pocket Guide to Early Literacy

In 2019, NGA published the Governor's Pocket Guide to Early Literacy, an exploration of the policy levers available to governors to help strengthen early reading proficiency.

In the years since, states and territories have only deepened their commitment to ensuring that their youngest residents develop the skills they need to become successful readers.

This heightened attention comes at a crucial moment for early literacy. Fourth- and eighth-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the Nation's Report Card, have declined over the past decade, and many states have seen widening gaps for those students who were already at risk of falling behind. In 2024, roughly 40 percent of fourth graders scored below NAEP Basic in reading, the largest share since 2002. Pandemic-era disruptions, including interrupted instruction and spikes in chronic absenteeism, only exacerbated this trajectory. Because evidence shows that students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade typically struggle to catch up, these trends carry consequences well beyond students' earliest years in school.

Several states have provided valuable lessons in this area. For example, in the 2010s-well before evidence-based literacy instruction became a widespread bipartisan national priority-Mississippi began overhauling its approach to reading instruction through an all-encompassing statewide strategy rooted in evidence-based practices and meaningful accountability. Over the following years, the state saw some of the nation's strongest gains in fourth-grade reading.

Mississippi's experience is just one example of the significant efforts states have undertaken to strengthen early literacy. This updated Pocket Guide examines the broader landscape of changes to literacy policy and instruction over the past seven years, highlighting the strategies states have pursued to improve reading outcomes. While approaches vary, one thing remains clear: Governors across the country are seizing the opportunity to rethink how they support young readers.

Previous Editions: 2019 | 2013