Accountability for Results . Parents should read to their children 30 minutes a day . Even as babies, children are learning about language from their families. Talking to them, reading to them, and singing with them even in these earliest years can make a big difference. Parents need to turn off the TV, take their child to the library and get a library card, talk with teachers about their child's progress, and take time to read with their child at home.
Parental involvement makes a real difference.
According to a recent study, 4th-grade average reading scores were 46 points below the national average where principals judged parental involvement to be low, but 28 points above the national average where parental involvement was high. Schools should provide a high-quality reading program for all students , including making sure teachers know how to teach kids to read and have the support they need to do so. They must also identify those students who need extra help. The America Reads Challenge is not a substitute for in-school reading programs. Community members should start an America Reads Challenge reading tutoring program at their local school, library, or community center or become a reading tutor after school, on weekends, and in the summer.