Today, Gov. Walker unveiled her flagship early literacy initiative titled "Read With A Child" and signed an executive order announcing the formation of the Governor’s Commission On Literacy. The purpose of the initiative, which falls under the Walker Work Plan, is to ensure that by early 2005, 90 percent of Utah ’s children can read on or above grade level by the third grade. The initiative also prompts Utahns to read to a child at least 20 minutes everyday.

"If there is one thing we can do to change the face of education in Utah, it is to read with a child for at least 20 minutes a day," said Walker. "Reading is the basic tool for succ ess in school, work and life. I have set a high standard to achieve by 2005 and it will take all of us to reach this goal."

"Read With A Child" encourages every Utahn to read aloud and tell stories to their children to help them develop a larger vocabulary, a longer attention span, better listening skills, and a good reading foundation.

Under the initiative, Walker also plans to announce a "book of the month"; initiate a summer reading program; create community "story buses"; hold grassroots, community book festivals; and use the Governor’s Commission on Literacy as her expert panel on literacy issues and research.

"We need to establish that reading is critical," said Walker. "Reading is the most powerful common denominator in education and it is vital to an individual’s success. Through the third grade, children learn to read; after the third grade they read to learn."

Research shows the foundation for reading must be laid early in childhood, because the third grade is a critical juncture. Students who are not reading on grade level by the end of the third grade quickly fall behind their classmates and 70 percent of them do not catch up. Without the ability to read, excellence in high school and beyond is unattainable.

Walker reported that currently in Utah there are 21,000 children who read below grade level in the third grade. That means that approximately one out of four Utah children are lagging behind in their reading skills.

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