10 Dec 2003
Incentive Program to Reward Middle School Students for Reading
DALLAS—The Dallas Independent School District has a new ally in its efforts to get students to spend more time curled up with a good book.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches and DISD are partnering to encourage middle school students to take part in the NABC's Ticket to Reading Rewards program designed to reward students for reading books. For students who accept the reading challenge, the association has pledged to provide signed basketballs, passes to college games, books and magazine subscriptions, field trips to area colleges, and trophies.
General Superintendent Mike Moses said he welcomes this new partner in the district's effort to increase reading among a key group–middle school students.
"In education, we know that students who read more are better students, make better grades, score higher on standardized tests and are better college prospects," Moses said. In the middle school years classwork and homework become more demanding and students' reading skills can often make the difference in how well they progress toward high school and graduation," he said. "In education, it's true that readers are leaders, and we appreciate the NABC for helping our district communicate this message in a tangible way to our 7th and 8th grade students. Moreover, the NABC intends to not just tell, but to also show our students how reading can be beneficial to them, both in the short and the long term."
The DISD Reading Department will work with the NABC to initiate the program on the district's 27 middle school campuses beginning December 15. The incentive plan calls for students to be rewarded based on the number of books they read.