By Mark Wilson
Florida leads the nation in economic growth. We now have an ambitious opportunity to be the first state in America where 100% of our kindergarteners are ready for kindergarten and 100% of our 3rd graders are reading at grade level. Achieving these goals requires families, educators, and business leaders to work together. The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Business Alliance for Early Learning is helping lead that effort with the launch of the Early Literacy Resource Guide.
This first-of-its-kind guide offers a practical, research-backed collection of tools to support children from birth through age five. Families can explore story-based programs such as the University of Florida Lastinger Center’s New Worlds Reading Initiative or the Florida Grade-Level Reading Campaign’s Booksmart World Reader. Educators can access lesson plans and classroom activities through Share My Lesson, while caregivers can use Vroom to engage children in simple, developmentally rich ways. The guide includes bilingual options, off-screen activities, and children’s literature to make it easier for every family to support early learning at home.
Strong readers grow into strong students, strong members of Florida’s workforce, and leaders in their communities. Businesses have a role, and clear interest, in that success. By investing in early literacy, companies are investing in Florida’s talent pipeline, economic growth, and long-term prosperity. The Early Literacy Resource Guide gives businesses a clear way to support families and classrooms while advancing the state’s workforce development goals.
The Florida Chamber Foundation knows early learning is foundational. Children who develop strong language, literacy, and curiosity before kindergarten are better prepared for school and life. They are more likely to graduate on time, pursue higher education, and enter the workforce ready to contribute. These outcomes benefit families, communities, and employers alike.
This guide is also a call to action for business leaders. Supporting early literacy is not philanthropy alone; it is strategic. Companies can partner with schools, mentors, and families to help Florida’s youngest learners thrive. By making early literacy a shared priority, Florida can build a stronger workforce and a stronger economy for decades to come.
The path is clear. Families, educators, and business leaders now have tools at their fingertips to make a measurable difference. When businesses, parents, and mentors work together, every child has the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to become a lifelong learner.
Investing in early literacy today means a more capable, competitive, and innovative workforce tomorrow. The Florida Chamber Foundation’s Early Literacy Resource Guide is a step forward in achieving that vision and building a Florida that works for every child, every family, and every business.
Mark Wilson is the President & CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Foundation