H.C.R. 8

1

RESOLUTION PROMOTING READING READINESS
2 BY ENCOURAGING UTAH CITIZENS TO READ
3 WITH A CHILD 20 MINUTES A DAY
4 2004 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Sponsor: Karen W. Morgan
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor urges Utahns to read
11 with a child 20 minutes a day.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . recognizes the importance of reading with a child 20 minutes a day to increase
15 reading readiness and to improve the ability of Utah children to learn in school.
16 Special Clauses:
17 None
18
19 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
20 WHEREAS, the brain development that occurs in an infant before the age of one is
21 rapid and extensive;
22 WHEREAS, by the age of two, a child's brain has twice as many synapses, or
23 connections, as an adult's brain;
24 WHEREAS, these synapses are a fundamental basis of learning;
25 WHEREAS, by the age of three a child's brain has grown to 90% of its adult weight;
26 WHEREAS, the part of the human brain that develops critical visual, auditory, and
27 learning skills needs to be stimulated early and often;

28 WHEREAS, a stressful or nonstimulating environment can damage brain development;
29 WHEREAS, helping all children start school ready to learn is critical to their future
30 success and to the well-being of society as a whole;
31 WHEREAS, within a kindergarten classroom there is a five-year range in abilities, with
32 some children at age five possessing the skills of a three-year-old and other children possessing
33 the skills of a seven-year-old;
34 WHEREAS, the "achievement gap" originates during the years prior to kindergarten
35 and when children score low on entering assessments, it is not necessarily a reflection on their
36 intelligence but rather their opportunities;
37 WHEREAS, convincing research evidence demonstrates that young children are more
38 capable learners than current practices reflect, and that good educational experiences in the
39 preschool years can have a positive impact on school learning;
40 WHEREAS, children who lack reading readiness as they enter kindergarten have a
41 harder time learning to read;
42 WHEREAS, children who are behind when they enter school are unlikely to catch up
43 with their peers and are much more likely to develop later reading difficulties;
44 WHEREAS, the single most important activity for eventual success in learning to read
45 is simply reading aloud to a child, especially during the preschool years;
46 WHEREAS, since young children learn by gentle repetition, reading aloud literally
47 wires a child's brain for eventually learning to read; and
48 WHEREAS, parents who read to their children 20 minutes a day make the most vital
49 contribution to the reading readiness of their children:
50 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor
51 recognize the value that reading with a child 20 minutes a day contributes to the successful
52 lifelong learning of a child.
53 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage
54 reading with a child 20 minutes a day to increase reading readiness as children prepare for and
55 advance through their schooling.
56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State
57 Office of Education, the Utah Parent Teachers Association, and the Governor's Commission on
58 Literacy.

Legislative Review Note
as of 2-4-04 1:15 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel