Students at Hopkins and Sycamore elementary schools soon will have access to much larger classroom libraries, thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Education.

Hopkins Public Schools has been awarded a $19,305 grant for additional instructional time and interventions. Classroom teachers will be receiving $430 to supplement their classroom libraries with books that are reading-level appropriate for their students.

Research indicates that students in classrooms with high-quality classroom libraries read 50 percent more than students who do not have access to a library in the classroom (Booksource, 2003; Hunter, 1999). Well stocked, high-quality classroom libraries can generate interest and motivation for reading, support differentiated instruction through better matching of students with texts, and provide the means to the practice necessary to develop expert reading skills (Catapano  & Elias, 2009). Key findings in the Reading Now Network’s research also promote the need to develop classroom libraries.

Federal Programming RTI Coordinator Kammy Leep said, “As a district, we are thankful for this opportunity to give so many students access to quality books — that are at the “just right” level.”