Edited release
12/03/24
The Iowa Department of Education is investing over $3.5 million statewide to provide every first grade student with decodable book packs to take home and keep, reinforcing classroom instruction.
“Decodable” means that the books are written for beginning readers and use simple words to help students connect letters and sounds. The book packs are sequential in nature, progressively introducing more complex skills.
The Department selected Just Right Reader through a competitive bid process to provide decodable reading packs at no cost to Iowa elementary schools and families. The packs are customizable and available at multiple reading levels so students can practice reading outside the classroom. Each decodable book includes a QR code with access to video lessons for active family engagement.
The book packs are being provided to all public and accredited nonpublic elementary schools to send home with nearly 38,000 first-grade students. Kindergarten through second grade students in need of support who attended a Department-funded high-quality summer reading program or a Learning Beyond the Bell out-of-school program this year will also receive decodable book packs to further advance their reading gains.
In total, more than 100,000 book packs will be sent to all public and accredited nonpublic schools across the state this winter. Schools and families do not need to apply—the book packs will be sent directly to them. One million books will be sent in total as part of the book packs.
Funds for the book packs are provided through the Iowa Department of Education’s portion from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund and the American Rescue Plan Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools Fund to address state-level educational efforts.
More information on literacy instruction in Iowa is available on the Department’s Literacy Instruction webpage.