ORS 327.839 Birth Through Five Literacy Plan; purposes; grants; reports

As part of the Early Literacy Success Initiative, the Department of Early Learning and Care shall establish and implement the Birth Through Five Literacy Plan.

The purposes of the plan are to:

Expand culturally specific early literacy programs for children from birth through five years of age by:

Encouraging family and caregiver engagement; and

Providing research-aligned, developmentally appropriate professional training and coaching for direct service staff in early literacy.

Promote the capacity of programs that engage parents and children from birth through five years of age in early literacy and that are available equitably and statewide.

Expand and develop language revitalization efforts by federally recognized Indian tribes in this state.

Under the plan, the department shall distribute grants from the Birth Through Five Literacy Fund that align to the outcomes and indicators that exist across kindergarten readiness and culturally specific parent and child support programs.

No later than December 31 of each year, the department shall submit to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to early childhood a progress report on the Birth Through Five Literacy Plan.