“Literacy Improvement Starts with All of Us”
via email: Kaylee Jackson:
Last month, I shared Wisconsin’s progress in literacy and the work that remains ahead. While statewide policies, investments, and initiatives are important, meaningful and lasting improvement requires something more: a shared commitment to literacy in every Wisconsin community.
At the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), our responsibility is to establish clear expectations, provide guidance, and support schools and districts in strengthening literacy outcomes. But the work of improving literacy cannot belong to DPI alone. It requires local leadership, collaboration, and a collective belief that every child can become a strong reader, writer, thinker, and communicator.
This fall, Wisconsin schools completed their initial literacy screenings for the 2026–27 school year under Act 20. These screenings provide important information about students’ reading development and help identify those who may need additional support. What happens next matters most. How will schools use this information to strengthen instruction? How will families understand their children’s progress? How will local leaders galvanize the community to support literacy growth?
These are not questions for educators alone. They are questions for all of us.
School boards and district leaders make decisions about priorities, resources, and instructional support. Families bring essential knowledge about their children and play a critical role in supporting learning. Community organizations, libraries, and local partners create additional opportunities for children and families to engage in literacy.
When these efforts are connected, we create stronger conditions for student success.
We recently convened the Reading Advisory Council for its first meeting of the school year. Council members will provide input and feedback on DPI’s work as determined by Wisconsin’s Statewide Literacy Plan. Their engagement reflects an important principle guiding our work: the strongest statewide direction is informed by the people and communities it is intended to serve.
As this work continues, I encourage every Wisconsin community to consider its role in improving literacy outcomes.
Ask your local school leaders how students are progressing in reading and what supports are available. Find opportunities for schools, families, and community organizations to work together. Celebrate progress but remain attentive to students who are not yet experiencing the success they deserve.
Most importantly, recognize that improving literacy is not simply the responsibility of a classroom teacher or a state agency. It is a shared responsibility that requires sustained attention and action.
Wisconsin’s literacy future will be shaped not only by what we decide at the state level, but by what we commit to doing together in communities across our state.
Warmly,
Kaylee Jackson
Director, Office of Literacy
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
