Resources
The mission of Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) is to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee.
One way this is accomplished is by building home libraries through the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library partnership. Providing children with resources they need to become lifelong learners is a priority of GELF.
Children with early literacy opportunities are more likely to reach proficiency in reading, graduate high school, and be employed later in life than their peers who have not been afforded early literacy opportunities.
Dolly Parton’s vision inspires our program: every child deserves the joy and opportunity that comes from reading. Dolly’s Imagination Library has helped millions of children develop a love for books—and here in Hardeman County, we are proud to continue that legacy.
State and National
• In low-income neighborhoods, the book to child ratio is 1:300, compared to 13:1 in middle income neighborhoods.
Crime
• Research shows 1 in 6 children who are not reading proficiently in 3 rd grade have higher
incidences of poverty and incarceration as adults.
• Over 70% of inmates in America’s prisons cannot read above a 4 th grade level.
Health:
Workforce
• In assessing workforce needs with employers, the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce finds that employers consider literacy skills, including the ability to read, comprehend and effectively communicate what they read as essentials skills in a workforce.
Development and Education
• By age 3, a child’s brain grows to 80% its full development. During this time, low-income children may hear 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers.
• 40% of Tennessee 3 rd graders read proficiently.
• Reading aloud is the single most important activity leading to literacy acquisition.
Health
• Lack of literacy proficiency negatively impacts lifelong health and wellbeing, costing $73 million in direct healthcare costs each year.
Positive Impact
• Imagination Library participants are 1.2x more likely to enter kindergarten on grade level.
• Former Imagination Library participants have better school attendance, fewer suspensions, and are more likely to score higher on literacy assessments into third grade.
• Children with at least 100 books in their home are 214% more likely to be proficient readers than those who read the same amount with 25 or fewer books in the home.
Bright Start TN Data Dashboard – The first eight years of a child’s life are so defining that third-grade reading and math outcomes predict future academic, career and life success.
That’s why the Bright Start Tennessee Network (Bright Start TN) was created – an initiative of TQEE (Tennesseans for Quality Early Education) that brings together a statewide network of community partnerships dedicated to accelerating early learning outcomes and closing achievement and opportunity gaps for Tennessee children birth through third grade.
DPIL local program partners may wish to use information on the Bright Start TN Data Dashboard to identify areas of need and make informed decisions related to Imagination Library.
Home Libraries– In its research, Scholastic validates access to home libraries is linked to student achievement and lifelong success. In addition to academic success, home libraries are factors in strong mental and physical health
Impact Analysis: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tennessee – This meta-analysis demonstrates strong educational and social advantage received by DPIL participating children as they enter Kindergarten and continuing into elementary school.
Value of Home Library – Read here to learn more about the value of a home library, specifically a 100 – book home library. Outcomes associated with a 100-book home library are higher graduation rates and increases in quality of life.
