Two national studies have recently confirmed that specific kinds of educational experiences provided for children by both parents and teachers, from preschool through high school, can make a significant difference in their reading ability as young adults. Both studies analyzed data gathered from 3,959 high school students in 24 school districts across the United States. The Kindergarten Reading Follow-up (KRF) study examined long-term effects on children of being taught to read in kindergarten. The Reading Development Follow-up (RDF) study sought to identify specific kinds of experience that fosters high levels or reading achievement in high school seniors. The results of these two policy studies provide parents, educators, and policymakers with some straightforward guidelines for cultivating literacy development. The implications are clear: students who are provided with more of these specific kinds of experiences across their development will have higher reading achievement levels as young adults than those who have less. (RS)