Libraries Hope To End Arizona’s Literacy Crisis

As a young kid, I used to get in trouble for reading during class time. My teachers were adamant that it was a good thing I was reading so much, but it shouldn't take away from my education.

Nowadays, that's a problem most teachers would dream to have, and Arizona libraries are stepping up to help enact a change.

Arizona's Literacy Crisis

It shouldn't be news that America is in the midst of a devastating literacy crisis. Children are paying less and less attention in school, and adults aren't reading nearly as much as they used to. This has culminated in a depressing proficiency of literacy that we're seeing more and more effects of.

According to the World Population Review, a whopping 47% of Arizona students read below the basic reading level, and only 27% can read at a basic level. Obviously, something needs to be done.

Arizona's Top Baby Names

Get our free mobile app

The "Summer Slide"

Typically, the months after school ends are known as the "Summer Slide", when students lose most of the knowledge they pick up over the year. In order to combat this, and attempt to bump state literacy, libraries in the Phoenix-Metro area such as Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe Public Libraries have come up with a program to make reading fun again.

The concept is simple, kids log the hours or books they've been reading, and are able to rack up rewards like toys, museum passes, gift cards, and more! It gives a tangible incentive that will likely cultivate a lifelong love of reading.

[World Population Review][ABC15]