Here I sit in my office on a cold December morning trying to find an answer to a question. "What can a provincial dept of ed do to raise the literacy level in the early years of school"? Now that the question is no longer rhetorical, I find I am at a loss for words. I can imagine all kinds of policies/plans one could put into place in the public school system to raise the level of literacy, but I don't really know what is actually "do-able". So, I ask for your help. Imagine that the Minister of Education of your province has asked you what should be done in the provincial school system to raise the level of literacy for all students; but, in particular, the early years of school. What advice would you give her?