This indicator measures the total number of times that any child between PreK-4th grade who was in a summer program in Springfield, MA read for at least 20 minutes as part of the Springfield Reads to Build a Better World campaign. 

Research shows that children who read for 20 minutes every day are exposed to 1.8 million words per year and score 90% better than their peers on reading tests.  Beginning in 2017, the Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative began a campaign to encourage all summer programs in Springfield to help all children read for at least 20 minutes each day, regardless of whether the program itself had a literacy or education focus. This campaign increases reading expereinces for children, as well as general awareness and enthusiasm about the importance of reading every day amongst children, families, and people across the city. 

Source: Reading Success by 4th Grade/Pioneer Valley Planning Commission

Summer programs sign up to participate in the Springfield Reads to Build a Better World reading campaign. Participating programs send weekly totals of 20 minute reading sessions to the program coordinator and the total number of sessions are added together at the end of the summer.