According to the Minnesota Department of Education, "[the] Minnesota Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act, known as the READ Act, was passed and signed into law by Governor Tim Walz on May 24, 2023. The goal of this legislation is to have every Minnesota child reading at or above grade level every year, beginning in kindergarten, and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading goals. The READ Act replaces Read Well by Third Grade (RWBTG) and is in effect as of July 1, 2023."

In alignment with the state of Minnesota’s READ Act, these literacy pillars stand as the fundamental skills for strengthened reading for primary and secondary students. For caregivers working on reading skills with students, we encourage you to reach out to your student's teacher for direction about what pillar is most fitting for your student.

All resources listed are sourced from trusted organizations and have been vetted by the Rochester Public Schools Literacy team.

• Encourage exploration-nature walks, cooking, or simple science experiments

• Incorporate play- Use games and playful activities to reinforce concepts. If they are learning about animals, you might play a matching game with animal cards.

• Read together-Ask your child to share their thoughts and connections to what they are learning.

• Connect learning to everyday life-Relate what they learn in school to daily activities. Count items during grocery shopping or discuss the weather.

• Celebrate curiosity-Encourage them to ask questions and pursue topics they are curious about.

• Engage in conversation- “What do you think will happen if…?”