Missouri’s Childhood Literacy is in Decline

Missouri’s Childhood Literacy is in Decline

When a child is not proficient in reading by third grade, they are “likely to become our nation’s lowest-income, least-skilled, least-productive, and most costly citizens tomorrow.”

Missouri used to be a leader in early childhood literacy, ranking 14th in the nation in 2003. But as of this year we’ve slipped to 37th, falling behind six of our eight neighboring states. Today, seven in ten Missouri fourth graders are not proficient in reading - an unacceptable number in 2024. And while the state government spends money each year on locally-focused programs, currently there is no dedicated annual funding stream for statewide early-childhood literacy learning in Missouri.