Nashville, TN – Throughout March, the Tennessee Department of Education invites all Tennesseans to celebrate Tennessee Literacy Month, proclaimed by Governor Bill Lee. All month long, the department will highlight how Tennessee’s meaningful reading investments continue to strengthen early literacy skills and prepare students to reach their full potential.

“Tennessee students are leading the nation in reading proficiency gains thanks to our state’s strong literacy strategy,” said Gov. Lee. “Every student deserves the opportunity to thrive, and in the month of March, we’re celebrating our continued commitment to literacy and ensuring that every child can reach their full potential.”

March Literacy Month kicked off over the weekend with Read Across America Day on Sunday, March 2, which began Read Across America Week (March 2-6). This week and month, the department and Riley the Reading Raccoon will celebrate the work happening to boost literacy scores by visiting schools across the state. Tennesseans are encouraged to join the conversation on social media throughout the month using hashtags like #TNReadingForALL and #ReadLikeRiley. Additionally, families can practice reading at home using the Interactive Decodables.

Tennessee’s literacy rates continue to make historic strides statewide, thanks to the strategic investments made by Gov. Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly, including the passage of the 2021 Tennessee Literacy Success Act, which has been pivotal in providing resources and supports to teachers and students. The 2023-24 ELA TCAP results showed, overall, 39% of students are meeting grade level expectations, with proficiency gains in most tested grades, and elementary and high school students are continuing to out-perform pre-pandemic levels. In addition, the 2024 Nation’s Report Card results further exhibited Tennessee’s improvements with 32% of tested students scoring as proficient, outpacing the national average in both 4th and 8th grade reading.

“Our district and school leaders, teachers, families, elected leaders, and communities are putting in a tremendous amount of effort to support our young readers, as they are dedicated to nurturing a passion for reading by offering resources and enriching experiences both in and out of the classroom across Tennessee,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “I’m grateful for the hard work being done across the state, and this March Literacy Month, I encourage all Tennesseans to join us in celebrating our districts’ achievements by picking up a book and reading together!”

Through Tennessee’s commitment to continue and sustain a focus on early literacy, the department is excited to offer the fifth summer of literacy trainings for educators, including the Early Reading and Secondary Literacy Trainings. For the first time this summer, the department will offer a Foundations First: Pre-K Literacy Training designed to include foundational literacy support to Pre-K teachers and Pre-K teaching assistants, currently teaching or planning to teach Pre-K for the 2025-26 school year. Additional information about training details will be available later this spring.

Additionally, the department is continuing to support early literacy instruction through the Early Literacy Network 2.0 with regional convenings, virtual learning sessions, and asynchronous modules specifically designed for school leaders and teachers. During these sessions, district and school leaders and teachers engage in high-quality foundational skills professional development and collaborate on ways to improve practices in their districts.

Learn more here on how Tennessee is equipping teachers and families with online resources and engaging with the public to accelerate literacy.

For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact [email protected].