Summer Reading Program

What is it?

The Millionaire Club is a coordinated effort by the Department of Library Services, the Literacy Leads the Way initiative and the Reading Department to keep HISD students reading over the summer months. 

 If all students read five books this summer… HISD students will have read 1 million books!!

When does it all happen?

Why are we doing it? 

Besides becoming better readers, students develop a love for reading, and the entire family can benefit by making reading a family activity.  Reading over the summer is the best way to make sure that students enter school in the fall with reading skills at or above the level they were at before leaving for summer break.  Students who can least afford to risk the gains made during the school year in the area of reading suffer the most from summer reading loss.

The Millionaire Club is one way that HISD is addressing the phenomenon known as “summer slide” or “summer loss”.  Research conducted by James Kim (2005) shows that the reading skills of lower income students can improve over the summer if they are able to select and read books at their interest and reading level.  The chart below dramatically shows the result for these children if they do not continue to read over the summer.

Fairchild, R. McLaughlin, B. & Brady, J. (2006). "Making the Most of Summer: A Handbook on Effective Summer Programming and Thematic Learning." Baltimore, MD: Center for Summer Learning.

How does it work?

Each campus will complete a Summer Reading Campus Commitment form.  In order to receive rewards and prizes in the fall, each campus must have submitted this form, describing the campus plan for demonstrating and confirming that summer reading was accomplished by their students.

Students should select and read a minimum of 5 books over the summer months.  They will fill out the Reading Log which they will have received in May.  In the fall, they will return the log in order to be eligible to receive recognition of participating in the Millionaire Club. 

What do I do?

Ø      Principals – Submit the online Summer Reading Campus Commitment form.  Share this plan with your faculty.  Designate your librarian or other campus personnel to be the Summer Reading Program Coordinator.  Take a look at the presentation outlining the Millionaire Club.  Show it to your faculty and parents.  Look at the research and reinforce the importance of summer reading by displaying the Millionaire Club banner.  In the fall, make plans to celebrate reading on your campus.

Ø      Summer Reading Program Coordinators – Distribute the Reading Logs to students on your campus.  Send out the parent brochure home with students.  Print out all Millionaire Club supplemental documents and have them available.  In the fall, collect logs and be ready to report participation information, as outlined in your Campus Commitment Form.  Distribute prizes and rewards to qualifying students.

Ø      Teachers – Discuss the importance of summer reading with your students.  Use the recommended reading lists to help students select books that match their reading level.  In the fall, use the sample activities as accountability tools to verify that your students have accomplished their summer reading goals.

Ø      Librarians – Encourage students to participate in the Millionaire’s Club:  Make use of your library catalog to help students search for books they are interested in reading during the summer; refer to these Lexiled lists to help students select appropriate books; provide information on summer reading programs in public and local libraries; schedule presentations by neighborhood librarians to promote their summer reading programs.

Ø      Parents and families – Encourage and promote reading in your home.  Find time to go to the library or local bookstore.  Express interest in reading … have books around your house…. read along with or to your child.  Celebrate reading accomplishments in your family.. find a special treat for your child when he completes the 5 book challenge.

Where can I find forms and more information?

(some documents are in pdf format and require Adobe Acrobat)

Department of Library Services
Student Support Services Annex

6100 Knox  Houston, TX  77091-4143
Phone:  (713)695-5652   Fax:  (713)696-6438  Route #6

 Property Of Houston ISD Library Services