State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson said Thursday that he's targeting $4.8 million in state funds to help reading teachers in kindergarten through the third grade pay for supplies and books.
School districts and charter schools will receive $200 for each K-3 reading teacher that can be used to buy books both for the classroom and to be sent home so parents can read to their young children, online subscriptions for digital books and other tools and hands-on instructional tools for use in the classroom.
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Under the Read to Achieve program passed by lawmakers four years ago, students must be reading at grade level by the end of third grade in order to advance. Johnson said teachers around the state are working very hard to make sure students hit that benchmark.
"Unfortunately, even with all the hard work, many of our students are not reading where they need to be by the third grade. As education leaders and as parents, it is time for us to step up and do our part," he said at a news conference.
The $4.8 million was included in the state budget passed last summer. Johnson said the money will be sent to districts and charter schools by the end of March.