North Dakota's New Literacy Tool Puts Learning in Parents' Hands

North Dakota just made it easier for parents to prepare their children for school — no classroom required.

The new book "North Dakota Legendary Learners: Building Literacy Skills" is part storybook, part parent toolkit. It follows Theo Bison on his first day of kindergarten, then provides practical activities parents can do during everyday moments like cooking, driving, or bath time.

"Literacy is the currency of the 21st century," says Heather Chatham of the North Dakota State Literacy Team. "It's a guide to help in daily routines and things that are happening in your life anyway."

Why It Matters

The timing is critical: 90% of brain development happens by age 5. Early literacy skills don't just prepare kids for school—they correlate with lower dropout rates, reduced teenage pregnancy, and decreased incarceration rates.

"We have so much research that shows the pipeline to prison starts in preschool, and we can do so many things to negate that," Chatham notes.

With universal pre-K not on North Dakota's immediate horizon, this free resource meets families where they are. Chatham is pragmatic: "If we want parents and caregivers to know this information, we have to figure out how to get it to them."

The book was created through a partnership between the ND Department of Public Instruction, Department of Health and Human Services, and the State Literacy Team. It's available free at local libraries or by request from ND DPI.

The message is simple: every parent can build their child's literacy skills, and every moment is an opportunity to learn.