HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The 6th annual Houston Reads Day will be here before we know it, and non-profit Literacy Now is looking for volunteers to join the mission in making a difference this February.
This year, the event is on Feb. 27, 2026, and schools across the area will again participate.
The day is dedicated to reading to and engaging with students to raise awareness about the literacy crisis in Houston, while also promoting the importance of reading.
Join us as we celebrate the joy of reading while encouraging literacy. And we’re not doing this alone! Here’s a special message.
Funds raised will go toward Literacy Now’s Reading Intervention Program, which supports young readers, the organization said.
Why is this a literacy crisis? Consider this. According to Literacy Now:
– 41% of young children are not ready for kindergarten
– 68% of 3rd graders do not read at grade level
And the above makes a lasting impact.
High school dropouts are not eligible for 90% of current jobs, Literacy Now says.
In addition, students who are not reading on grade level by 3rd grade are four times more likely not to graduate high school.
Among other ripple effects – 85% of youth in the juvenile justice system are functionally illiterate, and 70% of U.S. inmates cannot read above a 4th grade level.
During Houston Reads Day, volunteers are called to read to more than 17,000 Pre-K through 5th grade students across 45 area schools.
Volunteer readers are asked to read to classes for 20 minutes and may read to students multiple times in that duration.
If you’re ready to volunteer, register here.
Participating districts include Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Houston ISD, Royal ISD, Sheldon ISD, Spring Branch ISD, and various charter schools.
ABC13 will once again partner with Literacy Now, with station volunteers stopping by classrooms to read to students.
And that reading time really adds up.
Just that one day of reading totals to over 13,000 minutes of reading.
But keep in mind, the goal is to encourage students to read all year long.
Literacy Now, formerly known as Making It Better, was founded in 2006 to help children rise above their circumstances through tutoring, mentoring, and other services, according to the non-profit.
It has since empowered more than 28,000 children and their parents.
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