Dear Community!

Thanks to all of you who have already reached out to your legislators regarding House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner's budget request to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to offer comprehensive Science of Reading training to all K-5 teachers at Oregon's most struggling schools (CSI/TSI) in the foundations of reading.

WE HAVE A NEW URGENT ASK!!! Please reach out to members of the Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Education and Governor Brown to encourage them to support this use of ARPA funds to immediately address Oregon's educational disparities. Research proves that almost any child can learn to read given the right instruction, yet even before the pandemic, over half of our 3rd graders - and more than 70 percent of our Black, Indigenous, and other 3rd graders of color - weren't reading at benchmark levels.

We know that COVID has had a disproportionate impact on our historically disadvantaged students. Training teachers in the Science of Reading would be a powerful equity education investment in our schools and lead to lasting, systemic change for our students.

Thank you in advance for your commitment to learners, teachers, and families in Oregon.