A recent report on reading caught my attention. The headline proclaimed: AN OBVIOUS PATH TO PROFICIENT READING. You can read it here: http://about.uniteforliteracy.com/2014/06/an-obvious-path-to-proficient-reading/. Using the results from the 2013 NAEP administration, the author compiled a chart indicating factors that seem to have an effect on whether students are basic, proficient, or below basic. The factors: number of books in the home, and time spent reading for fun. Here is a chart which needs to be shared widely:



I do not know that there needs to be much more comment here. More books, more time spent reading has a positive affect on reading scores. After reading all of the programs out there that make claims about increasing test scores, it is lovely to see that the basics of books and time might just be the best UNprogram out there.

I return from ALA soon. One suitcase is filled with books, books I will pass on to others as I finish reading them (and I have read 6 of the picture books and 1 of the middle grade novels). I hope they will make their ways into homes, especially homes where books are not plentiful. Several of my friends and I are in the middle of weeding our own bookshelves. I have dozens of bags and boxes of books already set to go to new readers. Once those are in new homes, I can weed again. At the office, I try to weed a new shelf daily. Those go onto a cart in the hallway outside our offices. Before the end of the day, those books have found new homes. People come by daily to see if there are new books to be had. The incredible reward of seeing books move on is almost as good as chocolate.

See if you can float on some books. If we can get more books into homes, if we can kids find time to read, we might just make those pesky snake-oil programs go bust.