Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) in New Mexico serves a diverse student body and is committed to promoting equity and diversity. The district has partnered with Follett Software to launch an innovative at-home reading program that brings culturally relevant and bilingual books into the homes of students, inspiring a love of reading.

The Challenge

APS needed to address the lack of access to engaging and interesting books for students outside the classroom. Many students did not have personal libraries at home or the means to purchase books they could read for pleasure. The district aimed to create an initiative that would ensure students had access to culturally and linguistically responsive books both at school and at home.

The Solution

The Read at Home program was established to provide students in the district’s bilingual, multicultural education program with free books they could enjoy at home. Rachel Altobelli, Director of Library Services and Instructional Materials, explained the importance of this initiative: “It’s important for students to have access to engaging and interesting books wherever they are – in their classrooms, their libraries, and their homes. Read at Home is designed to surround students with culturally and linguistically responsive books and other materials.”

With Follett’s help, APS curated a collection of books that reflected students’ languages, cultures, traditions, and experiences. The program allowed each student to select up to three books to take home in a backpack. More than 60 schools with bilingual programs participated, distributing books to 11,000 students from Kindergarten through Grade 12.

Sandra López-Alvarado, Director of Bilingual Programs, emphasized the program’s goals: “The program was designed to promote biliteracy instruction that students are receiving in school and move it into their homes. For emergent bilingual students, it is important to give value to both languages of the program – English and Spanish – and give students access to authentic literature at school and at home.”

The Results

The Read at Home program has been highly popular among students, many of whom do not own any books. The opportunity to choose books for fun, rather than as part of a school assignment, has been a delightful experience for them. Alexandra Jaquez, a student, expressed her excitement: “It’s a really fun and exciting experience. Many times our students can’t afford to go to a bookstore to pick out their favorite book, so we hope to level the playing field with Read at Home.”

The program also aimed to help students feel welcomed and engaged in school by showing that their languages and cultures are valued. Jessica Villalobos, Senior Director of the Language and Cultural Equity Department, said, “Part of helping students feel welcomed and engaged in school is showing that we see and value all aspects of them and their families, including language and culture. By putting books in front of students in which their cultures are represented, they will find mirrors for themselves in the literature they are reading, as well as build connections between themselves, their families, and their communities.”

Curating a Diverse Collection

The Language and Cultural Equity Department worked with Follett’s Classroom Curation team to select books that supported specific curriculum goals. Using Follett Titlewave®, APS educators accessed millions of professionally curated titles for students from PreK to Grade 12. The collaboration ensured that the curated collection was culturally responsive and aligned with the district’s educational objectives.

Altobelli praised the partnership with Follett: “The Read at Home program is a large undertaking, and we need our vendor partners to be responsive and invested, as Follett is. When you have literally tons of books arriving in a short timeframe, there are logistical challenges. Follett is helpful and communicative when arranging shipping and is always willing to adjust things to fit our needs.”

Impact on Students and Families

The real excitement came when students received their books. Books were displayed similarly to a large bookstore, allowing students to take their time browsing and selecting their favorites. Each student received a drawstring backpack to carry their books home and was treated to a free pizza lunch. The books and the bags were theirs to keep.

López-Alvarado shared a touching moment: “The most touching thing at the book distributions is when students ask us if they need to bring the books back, like they would with library books. When we tell them they do not need to bring them back, that the books are theirs to keep, we get these huge smiles.”

Since its inception, the program has distributed nearly 20,000 backpacks filled with books chosen by the students themselves. “It’s been a wonderful experience,” López-Alvarado said.

For more information on how Follett Software can support your district, visit Follett Software.