ST. LOUIS — Literacy scores in St. Louis Public Schools are low. According to U.S. News and World Report, just 13% of elementary school students and 12% of middle school students in the district test at or above grade level in reading.
St. Louis Public Schools is working to change that with the launch of its new program "Literacy for the Lou."
Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett told 5 On Your Side, "We intend to give away thousands and thousands of books over the course of this initiative."
The district is encouraging parents to read to their children by providing them with free books.
"The literacy issues did not happen overnight," Scarlett explained, "they are not going to change overnight. This may be generational work."
Scarlett believes encouraging parents to read to their children and have their kids practice reading is the path forward for increasing literacy in St. Louis. She hopes people will start asking kids, "What are you reading? Why do you like it? What are you writing right now?"
"They want to read," said Kenya Womack, a 4th-grade reading teacher with Mullanphy-Botanical Gardens Investigative Learning Center. "Our students love the aspect of books and flipping through them, especially graphic novels, graphic novels are their favorite."
"Literacy For the Lou" launches this Saturday at the St. Louis Public Library's Central Library.
There will be author meet-n-greets, a free bookstore, haircuts for kids, face painting and hot chocolate. To RSVP for the launch, click here.