Dolly Parton & Literacy – Two Stars

Sep 4, 2026

Strive to Be Like Dolly

Dolly Parton will long be remembered as a songwriter, singer, fashion icon, actor, and an American treasure. On top of all of that, she was a superstar for child literacy.

Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to dream more and learn more. Reading is fundamental for doing well in school, opens up worlds of imagination, and develops lifelong communication skills.

Less than half of PA third-graders can read English proficiently. That’s a real problem because after third grade, kids learn by reading. When they can’t read well, they fall behind which adds up over time, leading to lower student achievement and higher drop-out rates.

The consequences of not learning to read in the long-run are serious. Over 70% of inmates in American prisons can’t read above a fourth-grade level; 85% of young people who appear before the court system are functionally low literate.

Access to books is a fundamental part of learning to read. Families with incomes of at least $100,000 have nearly twice the books than families making less than $35,000. That’s why Dolly Parton’s program distributes more than three million free books a month worldwide. That’s why Philadelphia’s Read by 4th program recruits reading captains in neighborhoods across the city who give out books, work with parents to encourage more reading at home, and build community interest in literacy.

Volunteer reading programs have a profound impact, but substantial and sustainable investment is needed on state and federal levels.

Without state funding, neighborhood libraries are cutting their hours, school-based libraries have closed, quality child care and pre-k programs must turn away kids, and public schools can’t afford tutors, modern classroom materials, and extra supports.

Children First advocates for educational success, economic mobility, and healthy lives, all of which support literacy and a love of reading. In addition to major funding increases for child care and public school students in the last three state budgets, we supported the statewide PA Literacy Coalition, led by our friends at Teach Plus, which secured $10 million for early literacy in both the FY26 and FY27 state budgets – a $20 million win for young readers.

Working closely with Read by 4th and other partners in 2022, we passed legislation that requires school districts to bring back phonics and the science of reading after new research emerged that structured literacy is the best way to teach kids to read.

Right now, protecting Head Start and its proven success in boosting literacy is among our top priorities. While President Trump honors Dolly Parton with flags flown at half-staff, his own Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is proposing to dismantle Head Start.

Just like Dolly’s indefatigable spirit, Children First, parents, teachers, and partner organizations are not giving up in the fight for Head Start.
Please join us by:

1. Sending a message to Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, and your congressperson to protect Head Start.

2. Submitting public comment on the HHS website in protest of the proposed Head Start changes. Learn more about the proposed changes here.

3. Getting on the bus as we head to Washington, DC on Wednesday, September 30th. More details to come.

The PA Department of Health today announced that 577 measles cases have been confirmed across 37 PA counties so far in 2026. The Lancaster County Coroner documented the second infant death from the measles.

Did you know that thousands of young children are poisoned by lead every year in Pennsylvania?

Lead paint poisoning is not a thing of the past. Lead toxins still lurk in the old houses in the Commonwealth. That’s why every child should be tested twice in their first two years. Because early detection leads to early intervention.

Join us in Harrisburg to fight for child health. More information and registration here.

“Social media did not create the youth mental health crisis, although it can make the pressures young people are facing worse and seemingly constant. Safer platforms can reduce harm, but they cannot substitute a mental health system that is sustainably funded and addresses what children are going through.”

– David Heayn-Menendez, Children First Mental Health Campaign Senior Communications Advisor, on the recent court settlement with social media giant Meta