--- title: Call to Action on Early Literacy description: Join the call for better K-1 literacy outcomes through data-driven insights and collective action. Discover how sharing de-identified data can transform early reading success. image: https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/hubfs/Call%20to%20Action%20on%20Early%20Literacy.png --- [![AIM Institute 2025 Landscape Subtitle CMYK (1)-1](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/AIM%20Institute%202025%20Landscape%20Subtitle%20CMYK%20(1)-1.png?width=2725&height=750&name=AIM%20Institute%202025%20Landscape%20Subtitle%20CMYK%20(1)-1.png "AIM Institute 2025 Landscape Subtitle CMYK (1)-1")](https://institute.aimpa.org/) Search Search Translate Website Select Language Afrikaans Albanian Amharic Arabic Armenian Assamese Aymara Azerbaijani Bambara Basque Belarusian Bengali Bhojpuri Bosnian Bulgarian Catalan Cebuano Chichewa Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Corsican Croatian Czech Danish Dhivehi Dogri Dutch Esperanto Estonian Ewe Filipino Finnish French Frisian Galician Georgian German Greek Guarani Gujarati Haitian Creole Hausa Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Igbo Ilocano Indonesian Irish Gaelic Italian Japanese Javanese Kannada Kazakh Khmer Kinyarwanda Konkani Korean Krio Kurdish (Kurmanji) Kurdish (Sorani) Kyrgyz Lao Latin Latvian Lingala Lithuanian Luganda Luxembourgish Macedonian Maithili Malagasy Malay Malayalam Maltese Maori Marathi Meiteilon (Manipuri) Mizo Mongolian Myanmar (Burmese) Nepali Norwegian Odia (Oriya) Oromo Pashto Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Quechua Romanian Russian Samoan Sanskrit Scots Gaelic Sepedi Serbian Sesotho Shona Sindhi Sinhala Slovak Slovenian Somali Spanish Sundanese Swahili Swedish Tajik Tamil Tatar Telugu Thai Tigrinya Tsonga Turkish Turkmen Twi Ukrainian Urdu Uyghur Uzbek Vietnamese Welsh Xhosa Yiddish Yoruba Zulu - 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[Who We Are](https://institute.aimpa.org/who-we-are) - [Who We Serve](https://institute.aimpa.org/who-we-serve) - [What We Provide](https://institute.aimpa.org/what-we-provide) - [Research & Impact](https://institute.aimpa.org/research-impact) - [Connect & Learn](https://institute.aimpa.org/connect-learn) ![](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/hubfs/Call%20to%20Action%20on%20Early%20Literacy.png) # Call to Action on Early Literacy Published by [AIM Institute](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/author/aim-institute) on Feb 3, 2026, 9:38:29 AM #### Data Is the Key to Stronger K-1 Literacy Outcomes: A Call to School Leaders Written by Dr. Cindy Hadicke, Head of Client Success and Partnerships ### What if the Most Powerful Literacy Tool Isn’t a Program but It’s Your Data? Every school leader wants to know: Are our youngest readers on track, and what do we do when they aren’t? The most powerful tool to answer that question may already be in your hands: your K-1 literacy data. Too often, school leaders review screening data and see the same reality: some students are thriving, while others are already at risk. The question becomes not whether we have the data, but whether we are using it collectively to improve outcomes for all children. And we know the window is small. The earliest years of instruction, kindergarten and first grade, are where reading trajectories are most powerfully shaped. But here’s the challenge: We cannot improve what we cannot see clearly. That’s why AIM is launching the [State of Early Literacy Report](https://institute.aimpa.org/what-we-provide/early-reading-success-schools-partners/k-1-impact-report), calling on schools to contribute de-identified K-1 literacy screening data to help build a national picture of what is working, and where schools need stronger instructional support. ### Why Early Literacy Data Matters More Than Ever Universal screening data gives leaders insight into how many students are meeting benchmark expectations. It also tells us where Tier 1 instruction is strong or needs reinforcement, or whether interventions are happening early enough. Finally, universal screening data show how instructional minutes, coaching, and data practices impact student outcomes. This kind of information isn’t just compliance; it’s true instructional leadership. And research is clear: early foundational skills must be taught systematically and monitored closely. Linnea Ehri (Ehri, L. C., 2022) explains that automatic word reading develops through mastery of: - Letter-sound knowledge - Phonemic awareness - Decoding and phonics instruction - A growing vocabulary of sight words These skills do not develop by chance; they require intentional instruction supported by assessment data. *“Mastery of letters, phonemic awareness… and decoding unfamiliar words is essential (p. 1).”* ### What the Science of Reading Tells Us: Phonemic Awareness Is Foundational Phoneme awareness is not an “extra.” It is a cornerstone of learning to read. The International Dyslexia Association (2022, June) states: > *“Students who are learning to read must become aware of the smallest segmented parts of spoken words (phonemes)… It is a critical foundational skill for reading.”* Without this awareness, written words appear arbitrary; something students must memorize rather than decode. And importantly, research confirms that phoneme awareness is most effective when it is directly linked to print. Phoneme instruction is most effective when coordinated with grapheme-phoneme correspondences. Handwriting and spelling practice further strengthen these connections. Instruction works best when integrated, not isolated. ### Why Schools Need to Share K-1 Literacy Data AIM’s [K-1 Impact Report](https://institute.aimpa.org/what-we-provide/early-reading-success-schools-partners/k-1-impact-report) initiative is designed to answer questions school leaders are already asking: - Are students making expected growth from fall to spring? - How much instructional time is devoted to foundational skills? - Are Tier 2 interventions being delivered consistently? - How often are data cycles driving instructional decisions? By contributing de-identified screening data across the year, schools help build the evidence base for stronger early literacy systems nationwide. Ehri’s research emphasizes that word reading becomes automatic through a process called orthographic mapping, in which children connect graphemes in print to phonemes in speech. > *“Written words are stored in memory when graphemes in spellings are connected to phonemes in pronunciations… This enables students to read words by sight.”* That means leaders must ensure instruction includes systematic phonics, phoneme segmentation and blending, decodable text practice aligned to the scope and sequence, and ongoing assessment of foundational skills. And that requires strong, consistent data. Schools participating in AIM’s initiative will receive: - National benchmarking insights - A clearer understanding of instructional conditions linked to success - Access to professional learning incentives - Entry into literacy grant opportunities Most importantly, participating leaders will help shape the State of Early Literacy Report, planned for release in Summer 2026. All data shared is fully de-identified and used only in aggregate to protect student and school privacy. [JOIN THE STATE OF EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE](https://institute.aimpa.org/what-we-provide/early-reading-success-schools-partners/k-1-impact-report)   School leaders, your data has power beyond your building. By sharing de-identified K-1 screening information, you contribute to: - A national snapshot of early literacy - Better understanding of what drives growth - Stronger instructional decision-making for all students *This is how we move from isolated efforts to collective impact.* ### Share Your Data & Receive a Free 20-Hour Course for Your K-1 Teachers In appreciation for your contribution to this national effort, participating schools will receive **complimentary access to AIM’s online *Early Reading Success Schools* course for their K-1 teachers.** This 20-hour professional learning experience strengthens foundational skills instruction with a focus on research-to-practice translation and data-driven decision-making, supporting educators as they apply screening insights to improve classroom outcomes. Leaders who submit their school data for the report, will receive information about accessing the free course for K-1 teachers in August 2026. --- References: Ehri, L. C. (2022). What teachers need to know and do to teach letter–sounds, phonemic awareness, word reading, and phonics. The Reading Teacher. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2095 International Dyslexia Association. (2022, June). Building phoneme awareness: Know what matters. Tags: [Leadership](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/tag/leadership), [Early Literacy](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/tag/early-literacy) [Back to Blog](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## Related Articles ## [How to Create Data-Driven, Structured Literacy Classrooms This School Year](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/data-driven-structured-literacy-classrooms-this-school-year) As school principals and administrators, you have a crucial responsibility towards providing the... [Read More](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/data-driven-structured-literacy-classrooms-this-school-year) ## [From Policy to Practice: How AIM Institute Partners with States to Improve Literacy](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/from-policy-to-practice-how-aim-institute-partners-with-states-to-improve-literacy) At AIM Institute, we believe that achieving literacy success requires a collective effort. That’s... [Read More](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/from-policy-to-practice-how-aim-institute-partners-with-states-to-improve-literacy) ## [Marietta City Schools' Journey to Empower Middle School Students](https://blog.institute.aimpa.org/aim-resources/marietta-city-schools-journey-to-empower-middle-school-students) Literacy is more than a foundational skill—it’s a gateway to lifelong learning and success. At... 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