Parenting & Family Quote by Bob Riley

Reading sits at the root of nearly every other form of learning. Spoken by former Alabama governor Bob Riley, the line distills a policy lesson and a human truth: literacy is the gateway skill. Once a child can decode and comprehend text with ease, every subject opens up. Math word problems become solvable, science explanations make sense, history comes alive through documents, and the arts become richer through criticism and narrative. Even in a digital world, the ability to navigate instructions, research claims, and synthesize information depends on fluent reading.

Research backs the intuition. Early reading proficiency, often measured by the end of third grade, strongly predicts later outcomes such as high school graduation, college readiness, and earnings. That connection is not destiny; rather, it reflects how reading fluency builds confidence, expands vocabulary, strengthens working memory, and feeds curiosity that propels independent learning. Reading also cultivates perspective-taking and empathy through stories that carry children beyond their immediate experiences, skills that matter as much in life as in school.

Riley voiced this priority while championing literacy efforts like the Alabama Reading Initiative and broader accountability measures. The policy context is consequential: investing in early, evidence-based reading instruction, particularly systematic phonics coupled with abundant practice and rich language exposure, delivers compounding returns. The earlier gaps are addressed, the easier they are to close. Access to books, skilled teachers, and time for daily reading moves the needle more reliably than later remediation.

The line is also a reminder of equity. Children who lack print-rich environments, pediatric screening for language delays, and high-quality instruction face barriers that accumulate over time. Ensuring every child reads well by the early grades is among the most powerful levers a community has to widen opportunity. Teach a child to read, and you give them the tools to keep learning long after the final bell, shaping both academic success and a lifetime of agency.