The decline of literacy rates over the past decade is a national emergency. Fewer than a third of the nation’s fourth graders had proficient reading scores last year, and the share is even lower among poor children. The causes are many, including ineffective teaching methods, misallocated spending, digital technology and long Covid-19 school closures.

As severe as the nation’s literacy problem is, it is not intractable. Effective charity can help, especially when the Trump administration is unwisely dismantling the Department of Education. First Book, a New York Times Community Fund partner, makes sure low-income school districts have access to high-quality books. Teachers who used First Book reported that their students spent more time reading and their literacy scores improved.