How do we celebrate the life of Dolly Parton? She was such an iconic figure who transcended time, race, social class and gender. Her music will live on, influencing generations to come. Songs such as “Coat of Many Colors,” “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You” and “Here You Come Again” have changed lives for the better and continue to be heard worldwide.

As a fan and an educator for over 30 years, I believe what separates Parton from so many of her contemporaries is the impact she has had on education around the world. In 1995, Parton founded the Imagination Library in honor of her dad who could not read or write. The early childhood literacy program has distributed more than 300 million books to children up to age 5 around the world. By the time the children become too old to participate, they will have received 60 books. Consider the benefits of that many books. The U.S., Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada participate in the program.

Childhood literacy affects school dropout and incarceration rates, as well as the quality of life for adults. Data from the World Literacy Foundation reveals that children who drop out of school are at a much higher risk of incarceration; more than 70% of incarcerated adults cannot read above a fourth grade level. By the third grade, a child who cannot read proficiently is four times more likely to drop out of high school. And more than 85% of juveniles in the court system are functionally low-literate.

A consistent decline in students’ reading scores across the country continues to alarm and baffle policymakers, educators and other stakeholders. Every two years, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card, tests students in grades four, eight and 12 in subjects such as reading and math. Data from the National Assessment Governing Board shows that since 2015, reading scores have declined in grades four and eight. For example, in 2024, average reading scores published by the Nation’s Report Card declined by two points for fourth and eighth grade students compared with 2022. For 12th graders in 2024, reading scores dropped to 283 from 285 in 2019.

Recent data shows some improvements in 9-year-olds, who are typically in the fourth grade. Compared with 2022, the 2025 average reading score for 9-year-old students was four points higher, with lower-performing students making gains. However, reading data can be quite volatile, particularly for younger students. Gains can be seen one year, only to be followed by a precipitous decline the next year.

It is this reality that makes Parton’s Imagination Library program so important. She had a profound understanding of how reading influences the lives of children, not just in their developmental years but also throughout life. We see far too many youths engaging in misconduct from fighting to bullying or simply exhibiting an intolerance for the beliefs and ideas of others. When our youths can read proficiently, they think more critically, synthesize information, better understand the views of others and express their disagreements using words rather than with violence. Reading exposes them to experiences and enriches their lives.

It is the aim and the desire of schools to improve the lives of their students. How do we improve the reading scores of youths to help enrich their lives? Experts can identify the problem but have a harder time coming up with solutions. The reasons for poor reading scores are wide-ranging. They include the pandemic shutdowns, children’s preoccupation with technology such as video games and phones, chronic absenteeism rates that have not dropped to pre-pandemic levels for most school districts around the country, and fewer youths simply reading for pleasure.

Imagination Library cuts through the rhetoric and places books in the hands of children, in essence changing their lives for decades to come. The world will miss Parton. Her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of us all. Let’s continue to celebrate her by elevating Imagination Library even more, in every community.

William Shakespeare wrote: “Be not afraid of greatness: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Parton’s life embodied all three.

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Jerald McNair is a school administrator in South Holland School District 151. McNair has a doctorate degree in education and a graduate degree in public policy.

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