Beyond the Ballot: Sustaining Progress in Academic Recovery and Early School Success

For more than a decade the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) has been working to disrupt the generational cycle of poverty by improving the prospects for early school success — and more recently by accelerating equitable academic recovery — for children in economically challenged, fragile and marginalized families. Like all elections, the results of the 2024 election create a new context for our work, likely bringing new opportunities and new challenges.   

CGLR has lived and grown through several elections and administrations. We know that this is a time to pay close attention to what is happening in policy and governance, and it is also a moment to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to this work and to expand on the progress we’ve made in creating the conditions under which all children have the support they need to learn and thrive.  

At this pivotal juncture, we will continue to advocate for what works — encouraging technology-enhanced teaching and learning fueled by digital connectivity and internet access; enhancing teacher development and coaching; providing high-impact tutoring; positioning parents as essential partners in children’s success; promoting everyday attendance; and supporting learning-rich environments in the everyday places and spaces that children and families go.  

We will also continue to be intentional and explicit about naming, mapping, shrinking and/or closing the gaps that were exacerbated by the pandemic — and that were far too wide even beforehand — so that proposed “solutions” do not inadvertently grow or sustain those gaps.  

To dig deeper into what this moment may bring, we hope you will join us on January 7, 2025, from 3–4:30 p.m. ET, for a provocative conversation about the new post-election environment. We will be joined by thought and action leaders to explore opportunities for advancing gap-closing solutions in the wake of the 2024 election. Representing a range of viewpoints, our panelists will discuss actionable steps to protect and advance resources that support families and educators. Panelists will explore how states and communities can intentionally navigate challenges and advocate for investments that matter most for children’s success.