With these funds I will purchase high interest, accessible books for our most struggling middle school readers. Two years ago, we created a new class—Reading and Mindset—for 7th grade students. This course emphasizes independent reading—developing students’ identities as readers, increasing the amount of time students spend reading, and accelerating students’ reading growth. Last year, we doubled the impact of Reading and Mindset by expanding it to include 8th grade students. We trained nine additional teachers and created five more robust classroom libraries. This year, we will continue Reading and Mindset for all middle school students with increased enrollment.  

Our goal is to accelerate each student’s individual reading growth rate. To achieve this goal, students must build habits of reading and must have access to great books that meet their interests and their reading levels. Reading research shows that the amount of time students are engaged in reading a text at their level directly relates to their reading achievement.

Our most struggling readers are four to six grade levels behind, and we want to change that by engaging them in great books that they can read independently every day this school year. In order to do that, we need a large supply of high interest books that are appropriate for where they are starting as readers. Publishers such as High Noon Books do great work to make a wide variety of appropriately leveled books available. Now, we need your support to purchase these books.  

Back Up Plan