America Reads

America Reads Event

President Clinton and a second-grade student read together during the  America Reads event at the White House, 10/21/1997

In 1996, the America Reads Initiative was launched. With this initiative, the Department of Education partnered with AmeriCorps to put trained college students in classrooms to address 3rd grade literacy.

“Over a year ago, it [America Reads] began with a simple idea, that a well-trained, coordinated army of a million volunteers could be rallied to teach our children. I called on every sector of society to help us mobilize this citizen army, specifically challenging colleges and universities to use their new work-study slots to train tutors.” - President Clinton, 10/21/1997

America Reads Challenge Letter

Letter showing support of the America Reads program in 2000.

Tote Bag

Tote bag from the Texas Children’s Literacy Corps, An AmeriCorps Project of the Mental Health Association of Texas

America Reads