Jenny Durkin announced further 2021 budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemics affect on the cities ability to collect revenue, one of the programs in this new budget cut was book up summer. A program created by the Page Ahead Children’s Literacy foundation that offers 12 free books to children in grades K-2. The goal being to give children who are furthest from educational justice the ability to meet third grade reading scores by third grade. 

Studies have shown that children who meet third grade reading scores by third grade have a higher chance of graduating from high school and a higher chance of success in the future. The reason third grade reading scores are so important is because third grade is when learning switches from learning to read to reading to learn. This means if you can’t read by then you’ll likely fall behind and have trouble succeeding in school. 

While we understand the impact the pandemic has had on city revenue and the need to make budget cuts is dire. The budget cuts should not fall on children who are furthest from educational justice and on families who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.