Gateway 3

Building a Solid Base for Literacy

A child who masters literacy skills in elementary school will enjoy many more opportunities in life than a child who does not master these skills.

Literacy is the basis of all future learning. It sets the stage for mastering increasingly complex subjects in later grades and for meeting challenges throughout life.

A child who is literate at an early age is far more likely to succeed in other academic areas and to graduate from high school with the opportunity to succeed in college or the job market.

A child who does not master literacy skills in elementary school will increasingly fall behind her peers as she progresses through school and will almost certainly have fewer opportunities for financial success in adulthood.

In the 2005 State of Opportunity Report, we chose three indicators to measure how many of Colorado’s elementary school children are making it through this third essential gateway.

Indicator 1: Proficiency in third-grade reading tests

The ability to read is the basis of all future learning.

Indicator 2: Proficiency in fifth grade math tests

Math literacy is increasingly important to success in the 21st Century workplace.

Indicator 3: Quality instruction in elementary school

Small class sizes that allow for increased personal attention and teachers who are highly qualified to teach in their fields are particularly important to improving student performance in the early years of school.

Read the whole chapter on Gateway 3: Building a Solid Base for Literacy in
Colorado: The State of Opportunity

2002 report • 2005 report

The Bell Policy Center's Gateways to Opportunity

Opportunity is not generated by a single action. To succeed in life, individuals must pass through a series of gateways:

1. A Healthy Birth

2. A Safe and Stimulating Childhood

3. Building a Solid Base for Literacy

4. Establishing a Healthy Lifestyle in Childhood and Adolescence

5. Leaving High School with a Diploma and the Skills to Succeed

6. Access to Education and Training for Adults

7. A Healthy Adult Life

8. Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth

9. A Financially Secure and Healthy Retirement

These gateways are like steps on a long staircase. Missing one doesn’t mean you cannot succeed, but it does make the next step much steeper. Miss too many and the climb may become impossible.

Together, these gateways constitute the Cycle of Opportunity — those experiences and events that make it possible to realize one’s economic, social and personal potential.

Read more about the other gateways by clicking on the titles above.