Read A Book Day

Today marks Read a Book Day, but we should emphasize every day the importance of reading and literacy for our students.

We know that a solid foundation in reading is the building block for all other learning throughout one's academic career. Children who read more are more likely to recognize letters and count higher, and earlier efforts to engage children in reading lead to better literacy outcomes later in their academic lives. However, only one in three of our students in New Mexico is proficient in reading.

In order to help ensure that every child in every school has an opportunity to succeed, I support federal literacy programs and will fight for them in the face of proposed budget cuts by the Trump Administration. I am proud to support the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program that funds high-quality initiatives designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through 12th grade. In New Mexico, this funding benefits programs like the Three Rivers Education Foundation in Farmington that's helping our students grow and thrive.

Our state faces unique challenges, but we all agree that in order to succeed we have to help families succeed together and improve our education system. That's why I introduced the Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act to increase opportunities for both parents and children living in poverty, why I support tapping the permanent fund to expand quality early childhood education, and why I'll continue to stand up to Secretary DeVos and President Trump's proposed education cuts that would wreak havoc on our state. I was excited to join teachers in Taos recently to host a discussion on how to support the needs of public education professionals while providing quality public education for New Mexico's rural students.

On Read a Book Day, I encourage you to spend some extra time reading with a child in your life. I enjoyed reading The Hobbitwith my sons – let me know what your favorite books are and what issues you care most about, so that I can stay in touch.