In October 2025, Governor Matt Meyer and Secretary of Education Cindy Marten launched the Delaware Early Literacy Plan. This statewide effort was created to ensure that every student reads on grade level by the end of third grade.

Why is the third grade benchmark so important? Reading proficiency by third grade is the single most important predictor of academic success. And, that’s no exaggeration.

In a recent article by Education Week, a study released at the American Educational Research Association convention includes a clear warning, “A student who can’t read on grade level by 3rd grade is four times less likely to graduate by age 19 than a child who does read proficiently by that time.”

Learn more about third grade reading proficiency here.

The Delaware Early Literacy Plan addresses this literacy emergency with enhanced supports and resources, so that every student receives clear, consistent instruction, and every K–3 classroom in the state uses strong and research-based reading materials with early intervention to spot challenges.

“When I declared a literacy emergency, it wasn’t to make headlines, it was to make change,” Meyer said. “Delaware students deserve better and so do our teachers. For too long we’ve talked about what’s not working. Now we are focusing on what works. This plan gives our teachers and school leaders the tools to deliver real, lasting results.”

“This is not another slogan or quick fix. This is not about asking teachers to do more,” Marten added. “This plan is about daily practice—what happens in every K–3 classroom, every day. Delaware is building the system our teachers and students have always deserved: strong materials, sustained coaching, time to plan and belief in every child’s potential.”

Marten also promised that she and her team will be in schools, side-by-side with teachers, coaches and school leaders to support, celebrate and sustain progress by following through with action and support for both principals and teacher leaders.

Delaware’s 2026 budget includes $8 million for early literacy investment and $3 million in teacher-selected classroom literacy resources, making it one of the largest early reading investments in Delaware’s history.

Here are the specifics:

Access to Meaningful, Grade-Level Instruction – As required by legislation and regulation, every K–3 classroom will use high-quality instructional materials aligned to the Science of Reading. Students will receive universal reading screeners three times a year, and teachers will use quick, classroom-based checks to adjust instruction in real time.

Sustained, Job-Embedded Professional Learning – All early literacy educators will complete training such as LETRS, AIM Pathways, or Early Literacy Leadership Academy (ELLA) and receive ongoing coaching tied directly to their daily lessons. These trainings support teachers in analyzing student work, strengthening classroom instruction, and reducing the need for interventions.

Strategic Staffing and Enabling Conditions – The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) will support schools in piloting team-teaching models that pair multiple educators with shared students to increase individualized support. Principals and literacy leaders will receive direct coaching, and DDOE teams will conduct statewide site visits to celebrate bright spots, identify barriers, and follow through with concrete plans.

Family Engagement and Student Supports – Families will receive a statewide Family Literacy Toolkit—with book lists, nightly reading ideas, and multi-language resources connecting home to school.

“This is Delaware’s moment to act, together,” says Marten.

About Success Won’t Wait

Founded in 2002, Success Won’t Wait, Inc. is a not-for-profit literacy organization based in Wilmington, Delaware. Want to learn more about Success Won’t Wait’s book access and literacy projects, how to donate books or volunteer your time? Simply visit About Success Won’t Wait.

Read now, because success won’t wait!