New Study Shows Imagination Library of Colorado Boosts Kindergarten Readiness
DENVER — A new independent evaluation from the Colorado Evaluation & Action Lab at the University of Denver, Imagination Library of Colorado: Effects on Kindergarten Readiness and Skills, finds that the Imagination Library of Colorado (ILCO) is helping prepare children for kindergarten by significantly improving early literacy skills.
ILCO mails high-quality books each month to children from birth to age five at no cost to families. Each book includes tips to encourage family reading and strengthen early literacy.
“Books are our windows into the world, and access to literature for children from birth is a great way to instill a love of reading from a young age, help children succeed in school and life, and inspire the next generation of poets and authors. It is great to see the success of Imagination Library in Colorado schools, and I thank Dolly for continuing to put students first, and spreading the joy of reading,” said Governor Jared Polis.
The program, part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, launched in Colorado in 2005 and expanded statewide in 2021 with support from Senate Bill SB20-185. Today, it provides matching funds to over 55 nonprofits across the state to fund monthly book deliveries to Colorado families. ILCO partnered with the Colorado Lab in 2022 to evaluate the program’s impact, as required by the legislation.
“From the start, we knew evaluation had to be built into our work as it allows us to validate the efficacy of our program,” said Jack Tate, President and CEO of Imagination Library Colorado. “This study confirms what we’ve long believed: our program is helping kids arrive at school ready to read and succeed. It is truly a high-impact, low-cost investment.”
Key Findings
- Children enrolled in ILCO scored 0.125 standard deviations higher on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment at kindergarten entry compared to non-participants in the same schools.
- ILCO participants were 16–24% less likely to score “well below benchmark” on DIBELS, reducing the need for costly remedial reading support.
- Benefits were seen broadly across student groups, with no significant differences for multilingual learners or children from low-income families. This increase is substantial, particularly given the low cost of ILCO implementation. This can set students on a positive reading trajectory and reduce the system, district, and school resources needed to make up early gaps.
“The results suggest the Imagination Library is an effective and affordable way to boost early literacy skills,” said Dr. Kristin Klopfenstein, Executive Director of the Colorado Lab. “Because strong readers help lift their classmates, these benefits may ripple across classrooms and grade levels. Continued state investment in ILCO could potentially decrease the number of students with significant reading deficiencies and reduce the number of students struggling with reading in the early grades.”
Statewide Reach
Today, ILCO operates in all 64 Colorado counties, delivering books each month to more than 87,000 children—about 27% of the state’s birth-to-five population. Since 2005, the program has mailed more than 2.5 million books to Colorado children. Families may now also choose a fully bilingual Spanish/English book list. Parents and caregivers can enroll children online to receive a free book every month by mail at www.imaginationlibrarycolorado.org.
"Investing in early literacy initiatives such as Imagination Library Colorado, providing books to children and families, is a wonderful and cost-effective way to help ensure that children are ready for kindergarten", said Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. "It builds a strong educational foundation that truly supports their future learning and growth."
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Founded in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program. It delivers more than 3 million books each month to children worldwide and has mailed over 280 million free books to date. Learn more at imaginationlibrary.com.
About the Imagination Library of Colorado
The Imagination Library of Colorado is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and statewide partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. With support from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood and private donors, ILCO ensures every child in the state can access the program. Currently, 55 local affiliates enroll children and fundraise to pay half the cost to mail more than 85,000 books each month.
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