Using the terms "literacy" and "reading" interchangeably, this monograph is intended to provide a research baseline for teachers, policymakers, decisionmakers and other interested persons to consider in helping all children meet today's higher literacy standards. The introductory section of the monograph presents a statement of purpose and discusses a higher stakes literacy, bringing more students to higher literacy levels, core understandings about learning to read, defining reading, and what counts as knowledge about beginning reading. The next section addresses basic understandings of acquiring and developing language, as well as the importance of family in emergent literacy. The next section discusses factors that influence literacy learning such as cultural differences, poverty, English language acquisition, special needs, and implications for struggling readers. The last section of the monograph distills the current knowledge base about beginning reading into 13 core understandings with sample classroom applications, including: (1) reading is a construction of meaning from text; (2) social interaction is essential in learning to read; (3) reading and writing develop together; (4) reading involves complex thinking; (5) engagement in reading is key in successfully learning to read; (6) children develop phonemic awareness through a variety of literacy opportunities, models, and demonstrations; (7) children learn best when teachers employ a variety of strategies to model reading; and (8) monitoring students' development of reading processes is vital. A concluding section discusses what helps children learn to read, what can hinder children in learning to read, and roles and responsibilities for supporting all children to reach high levels of literacy. A bibliography of approximately 600 items is attached. (RS)