forWORDS

literacy initiative

Text graphic stating 'Our goal. All kids reading at grade level by third grade.' on a green background, featuring the 'forWORDS' logo.

forWORDS is a community-wide literacy initiative led by Achieve Brown County to help more children build the early foundation they need to read by third grade and thrive for a lifetime.

This is not a program.
It is a shared commitment.

Logo of 'forWORDS', a literacy initiative featuring a smiling green worm wearing glasses, sitting on a stack of green books.
Text graphic stating '100+ Partners' in green font
Text graphic displaying '2 Public Events' in green font on a white background.
Text graphic displaying '6 Action Teams' in green font on a white background
Text graphic displaying the words 'Public Data' in yellow
Text graphic displaying the words 'Community Projects' in yellow font on a white background.
moving literacy forWORD

Initiative in Action

forWORDS turns big goals into shared action.

Across Brown County, over 100 partners are working together to strengthen early literacy through aligned efforts, shared goals, and support for children and families in the moments and places that matter most.

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Inspire to Act

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Dr. Suess
Infographic detailing 2030 SMART goals for children's development: Book Access, Hearing & Vision, Early Childhood Education, and Language Development, targeting ages 0-5.

forWORDS Early Literacy data

Early Literacy Dashboard

A shared view of early literacy in Brown County didn’t exist. Now it does.
Built for the forWORDS initiative, this dashboard aligns our community on key benchmarks that will help our community know if children are on track with learning to read by third grade.

Explore the data and be part of the change.

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The Data

54.2%

Brown County students are
meeting reading benchmarks
by third grade.

Source: WISEdash

According to the 2025 forward exam data, only 54.2% of Brown County third graders were considered to be “meeting” their reading benchmark.

1 in 3

employers report their average
employee lacks the literacy
skills needed to perform their
job effectively.

Sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Early Warning! Why Reading by the

End of Third Grade Matters

The Economic & Social Cost of Illiteracy: A Global Snapshot

Research also shows that reading ability influences outcomes throughout life.


Individuals with lower literacy levels are less likely to gain employment, particularly in skilled roles.

4x as likely

Students who do not read
proficiently by third grade
are four times more likely to
leave high school without
a diploma than proficient
readers.

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation – Double Jeopardy Report

Reading isn’t just a skill – it’s the
spark that fuels confidence, curiosity, and possibility for a lifetime.

Meet the Action Teams

making change happen

Explore This Team(coming soon)

ABC Conmigo, ABC With Me

to increase equitable access to early literacy by integrating literacy-rich experiences into everyday community spaces.

Explore This Team(coming soon)

Built Literacy Environments

to increase equitable access to early literacy by integrating literacy-rich experiences into everyday community spaces.

Explore This Team(coming soon)

Early Childhood Developmental Screeners

to align partner communications and practices – empowering parents to use screeners to guide their child’s development.

Explore This Team(coming soon)

Early Literacy Asset Map

to identify the strengths, gaps and barriers, and of our community’s literacy resources and work with parents to improve systems that raise awareness.

Explore This Team(coming soon)

Early Literacy Convening Planning Team

to design & support 2 yearly events that rally the community to improve literacy – understanding data, setting goals, and aligning actions.

Explore This Team(coming soon)

Evidence Based Literacy

to expand access to early literacy data, Reach Out and Read in healthcare, & the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Explore This Team(coming soon)

Kindergarten Readiness

to build a shared, community-wide understanding of Kindergarten Readiness.