Dolly Parton remains an iconic figure who transcended time, race, social class, and gender. Her music continues to influence generations, through songs like Coat of Many Colors, Jolene, I Will Always Love You, and Here You Come Again.
Beyond music, Parton made a significant impact on global education. In 1995, she founded the Imagination Library in honor of her father, who was unable to read or write. This program has provided over 300 million books to children up to age 5 across the U.S., Ireland, Australia, the UK, and Canada. Participating children receive 60 books by age 5, a fundamental boost to literacy.
Literacy is pivotal for reducing school dropout rates, lowering incarceration risks, and enhancing adult life quality. According to the World Literacy Foundation, over 70% of incarcerated adults struggle with reading beyond a fourth-grade level. Children lacking reading proficiency by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school, with over 85% of juvenile court cases involving low-literacy youth.
The decline in reading scores is a troubling trend that policymakers and educators face. Every two years, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests students in grades four, eight, and twelve. Since 2015, reading scores have fallen, with 2024 scores for fourth and eighth graders dropping an average of two points compared to 2022. Twelve graders’ scores dipped from 285 in 2019 to 283 in 2024.
Despite these trends, NAEP noted some improvement in 9-year-olds’ scores in 2025, which rose four points compared to 2022. However, such progress is often volatile, highlighting the importance of Parton’s program. Imagination Library recognizes reading’s lifelong impact, beyond developmental years.
Proficient readers critically analyze, synthesize information, and understand others’ views, using dialogue instead of violence. Reading enriches youth experiences, broadening their life perspectives.
Dolly Parton read her book, “Coat of Many Colors,” at the Library of Congress in Washington on February 27, 2018. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
Schools aspire to enhance student lives by improving reading scores. Experts identify problems but struggle with solutions. Factors like pandemic-related closures, tech distractions, chronic absenteeism, and declining pleasure reading contribute to poor scores.
Imagination Library addresses these issues by putting books in children’s hands, gradually transforming their lives. Dolly Parton’s legacy endures in our hearts and minds, urging us to elevate Imagination Library further in every community.
Jerald McNair, a school administrator in South Holland School District 151, holds a doctorate in education and a graduate degree in public policy. Share your thoughts by submitting a letter to the editor at [email protected].