Tennessee to provide free reading resources to families this winter

The Tennessee Department of Education, in partnership with the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, announced a free reading opportunity for students and families Wednesday. This winter, parents will have the opportunity to order free, at-home reading resources for children in grades K-2.Based on the child’s age, they will receive an At-Home Decodable Book Series. Decodable books are sequenced to include words familiar with the reader and allow the reader to practice word sounds, phonics and decoding at their grade level. These books allow families to work with their students to practice word sounds and advance the student’s reading skills.“We know early literacy is incredibly important and sets the foundation for a child’s education and life after graduation,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Thanks to partners like GELF, Tennessee families can easily order free books and resources to make reading fun this winter break and help their children become excellent readers.”This opportunity is part of the state’s Reading 360 initiative family component. Reading 360 is a one-time $100 million investment by the state to improve student literacy throughout the state. The decodable books allow students to practice their reading skills outside of the classroom at no additional cost, while also allowing families to work together to build those crucial skills.“Caregivers hold so many roles and responsibilities, and the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) is here to support families in giving their children the brightest future,” says James Pond, GELF President. “Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen early literacy by promoting a culture of reading and learning outside of the classroom. When children are on holiday break from school, we encourage families to take a break from the screens and read together with these resources. Books build learners; books bond families.”The book series contain over 20 stories from Scholastic that are complete with sounds and words to practice and that are age appropriate. Each student in the family, from grades K-2 can receive their own book series to ensure each student has equal opportunity for literacy success.