Boston Public Schools Hosts First-Ever Boston Reads Day

Boston Public Schools Hosts First-Ever Boston Reads Day 

Over 400 volunteer readers joined BPS classrooms as part of City of Boston’s new citywide literacy campaign

Boston, MA – October 29, 2025 –Today, Superintendent Mary Skipper and Boston Public Schools (BPS) welcomed more than 400 volunteer readers to Kindergarten, First and Second grade classrooms as a part of Boston Reads, the City of Boston’s new citywide literacy campaign. Boston Reads is designed to advance literacy in the City of Boston, starting with our littlest learners and furthering Mayor Wu’s vision of making Boston the most family-friendly city in America. Among today’s volunteer readers were City Councilors Coletta Zapata, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, and Worrell; School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson and member Rachel Skerritt; and City workers from every department.

"Boston Public Schools is dedicated to ensuring that every student becomes a confident and enthusiastic reader through supports that go beyond the classroom and traditional learning methods," said Superintendent Mary Skipper. "When our youngest learners develop a love for reading, they become curious and empowered, bringing them a step closer to reaching their full potential and achieving their goals. We extend our thanks to Mayor Wu, the Office of Early Childhood, our city partners, and the more than 400 volunteer readers who are joining us in giving every child a strong start and helping to build a foundation for lifelong success."

Boston Reads supports the district's work by making early literacy content and the Focus curriculum accessible citywide so that emerging readers can continue to grow these skills outside the classroom. Throughout the city, families will have opportunities to engage with the Focus curriculum early, before experiencing it in the classroom and throughout their years in BPS.

“Volunteer readers bring books to life in ways that spark curiosity, introduce new perspectives, and build meaningful relationships that nurture confidence and joy in our young learners,” said Dr. Angela Hedley-Mitchell, BPS Chief of Teaching and Learning. “By welcoming community members into our classrooms to share stories and model a love of reading, we help students strengthen essential literacy skills through engaging, interactive experiences. We are deeply grateful to our educators, volunteers, and school communities for empowering our students and ensuring they have the strong foundation needed to thrive at every stage of their academic journey.”

“Early literacy comes to life when students can connect the stories they read to the people and places around them,” said Principal Michele Davis, Warren-Prescott School. “Having volunteer readers in our classrooms shows our young learners that reading is more than a school activity, as it creates a shared experience that brings families, neighbors, and community partners together. When students share these reading moments with leaders from across the City, it helps every child feel connected and excited to keep exploring stories long after the school day ends."

Over the last three years, BPS has overhauled its literacy instruction through its Equitable Literacy strategy, beginning School Year 2025-26 with 100% of schools using district-approved High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) across all major content areas for the first time. HQIM includes science-based literacy curricula that meets rigorous standards, aligns with the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework standards, and is culturally and linguistically diverse. In partnership with the Boston Teachers Union, the district has also redesigned its professional development to deepen educators' skills and make content accessible to all learners. 

The district strengthened its accountability structure through its regional model, deploying instructional coaches and other resources to monitor student progress through regular classroom observations and data reviews. As a result of these changes to literacy instruction, the district’s accountability rankings are showing clear signs of improvement.

Boston Reads includes:

Boston Reads Days

Boston Reads Days engage volunteers to serve as guest readers in early childhood classrooms across Boston. Boston Reads Days launch today, with a guest reader reading a book from the Focus curriculum in every BPS kindergarten, first-, and second-grade classroom. In subsequent months, Boston Read Days will provide opportunities for guest readers to share the joy of reading books and stories from their own cultures and heritage with our students.

Story Stops

Story Stops are an exciting new way for children and families to experience reading all around the City of Boston. These interactive, place-based literacy installations pair engaging stories with Boston landmarks, activities, and neighborhoods, turning the city into a storybook! Each Story Stop features a short, themed story that is specifically written with text that supports early readers as they build foundational reading skills. Whether it’s a tale set in Moakley Park, Boston Public Market, or in one of the city’s many gardens, each story connects literacy to the lived experiences of Boston’s children and their communities.

Story Starters

To engage families and young children in early literacy, we are rolling out a media campaign across the city. These Story Starters connect families to Boston Reads while also serving as prompts for storytelling while walking or commuting in Boston. The prompts—“Where do lost stuffies go?,” “Do dragons live in cities?,” and “Do seahorses gallop?”—foster imagination and storytelling, key pillars of early literacy.

Boston has always been a leader in learning and innovation. We want to build on that tradition by becoming a city where every child grows up a reader. Together, we can ensure that Boston continues its path to becoming a literacy-rich city where every child shares a love for reading. To learn more about how you can participate, please visit www.boston.gov/boston-reads.