Missouri froze Dolly Parton book program enrollment months before the icon's death
Missouri halted new enrollment in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on July 1 after state funding dropped from $6 million to $2 million.
Author: Laura Barczewski/KSDK-TV 5
Published: 2:10 PM CDT August 25, 2026
Updated: 2:10 PM CDT August 25, 2026
ST. LOUIS — A literacy program that provided free books to Missouri children faced a major budget cut, prompting the state to freeze new enrollment on July 1, just months before the icon's death.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which mails one free book a month to children from birth to age 5, received $2 million in state funding for fiscal year 2027. That is down from about $6 million allocated in 2026.
The cuts mark a shift for the state. In 2024, Dolly Parton joined former Gov. Mike Parson in Kansas City to celebrate Missouri becoming the first state in the country to fully fund the program.
At the time, Parton expressed her gratitude for the program's expansion.
"It makes me happy to think, that I'm giving them a gift that matters to them and it makes me happy to know that I've made them feel special," Parton said.
The program reached millions of children. In 2025, Missouri’s state-funded effort distributed 1.9 million books. By comparison, Illinois distributed about 1.6 million books over three years through a partially state-funded model.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said it planned to distribute as many books as possible until funding ran out.
Lucas Bond, the department's communications director, addressed the cuts in a statement:
"We are unsure of the future of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Missouri as a state-funded program. Partnering with local programs could be a potential in the future with time, funding, and partnerships coordination."
Literacy advocates say early access to books is critical. Angela Sears Spittal, executive director of Ready Readers, said home libraries play a key role in learning outcomes.
"We know that when kids have 20 or more books in their home, research says they go three years farther in school," Sears Spittal said.
Spittal said she is concerned about the impact on families if funding is reduced.
"If we only have about 20% of children in low-income communities reading at an age-appropriate level, I think it's fair to say we're in a literacy crisis," Sears Spittal said. "So to see funding pulled back from that is heartbreaking."
Through her organization, Spittal said she sees the impact of accessible books firsthand.
"We hear from families who say, 'Your books have made a difference. Your books have helped us increase family reading time,'" Sears Spittal said.
Author: Laura Barczewski/KSDK-TV 5
Published: 2:10 PM CDT August 25, 2026
Updated: 2:10 PM CDT August 25, 2026
ST. LOUIS — A literacy program that provided free books to Missouri children faced a major budget cut, prompting the state to freeze new enrollment on July 1, just months before the icon's death.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which mails one free book a month to children from birth to age 5, received $2 million in state funding for fiscal year 2027. That is down from about $6 million allocated in 2026.
The cuts mark a shift for the state. In 2024, Dolly Parton joined former Gov. Mike Parson in Kansas City to celebrate Missouri becoming the first state in the country to fully fund the program.
At the time, Parton expressed her gratitude for the program's expansion.
"It makes me happy to think, that I'm giving them a gift that matters to them and it makes me happy to know that I've made them feel special," Parton said.
The program reached millions of children. In 2025, Missouri’s state-funded effort distributed 1.9 million books. By comparison, Illinois distributed about 1.6 million books over three years through a partially state-funded model.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said it planned to distribute as many books as possible until funding ran out.
Lucas Bond, the department's communications director, addressed the cuts in a statement:
"We are unsure of the future of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Missouri as a state-funded program. Partnering with local programs could be a potential in the future with time, funding, and partnerships coordination."
Literacy advocates say early access to books is critical. Angela Sears Spittal, executive director of Ready Readers, said home libraries play a key role in learning outcomes.
"We know that when kids have 20 or more books in their home, research says they go three years farther in school," Sears Spittal said.
Spittal said she is concerned about the impact on families if funding is reduced.
"If we only have about 20% of children in low-income communities reading at an age-appropriate level, I think it's fair to say we're in a literacy crisis," Sears Spittal said. "So to see funding pulled back from that is heartbreaking."
Through her organization, Spittal said she sees the impact of accessible books firsthand.
"We hear from families who say, 'Your books have made a difference. Your books have helped us increase family reading time,'" Sears Spittal said.
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