Comey: After Dolly Parton's Passing, Policymakers Asked To Increase Support For CT’s Early Literacy Program

BRANFORD, CT — Branford State Rep. Robin Comey joined state and local leaders in a news briefing following the passing of Dolly Parton to call on policymakers to increase the state’s support for Connecticut’s Early Literacy Fund.

By supporting local programs such as Read to Grow, Reach Out and Read, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Connecticut residents can help carry forward Parton’s vision of putting books into the hands of children and creating greater opportunities for young readers across the state, she said.

Free, top-quality books are provided by the Early Literacy Fund through state partners, while expanding early learning access to help break cycles of poverty and build promising futures for Connecticut families, according to a news release from Comey.

"The work we are doing is setting the foundation for the continuity of services here in Connecticut. Programs like these are the bridge between a family’s living room and a classroom, building on that one bedtime story at a time, long before we ever get them into a school building," Comey said.

"Connecticut is showing up to help fund and sustain that. That is us saying we’re not leaving that continuity to chance. We’re not just handing kids off to a classroom and hoping the first five years took care of themselves. We’re investing in them."

The state legislature is advancing funding for programs like Imagination Library, Read to Grow in Branford, and Reach Out and Read, according to the state representative.

That means adding "real resources into what happens once children walk through the classroom door, from coaching for teachers and evidence-based reading instruction to additional support for the students who need it most," she said.

"Policies like the Right to Read Act lay the foundation, but our work does not stop there," Comey said. "We must continue investing year after year to build on that foundation, strengthen early literacy, and ensure every child in Connecticut has the opportunity to develop the skills they need to succeed."