Parent Newsletter | August 2026

Dear Read LA! Families,

Happy back-to-school season! As students return to classrooms, we’re excited for another year of learning, growing, and building strong reading skills.

This month is extra special because we’re celebrating the second anniversary of the Read LA! Newsletter! Over the past year, we’ve shared resources, tips, and opportunities to help families support their children’s reading journey. You make this literacy movement a reality—thank you for being part of this community! 

In this issue, we invite you to celebrate the Read LA! Bookmobile’s back-to-school visits, learn about the READ Act, and discover free library resources to support your child at school.

Let's keep reading, staying involved, and sharing these resources with other families! Together, we can help every child become a strong, confident reader.

In community,

The Read LA! Bookmobile Celebrates the Back-to-School Season!

Read LA! celebrated back-to-school week with events at schools across Los Angeles, two of which featured our Read LA! Bookmobile. We distributed approximately 3,000 free books to students and shared literacy resources with parents and caregivers (along with donuts and coffee for the adults!), helping families build strong reading habits and supporting literacy skills at home.

The Bookmobile visited Napa Street Elementary—where we joined LAUSD Superintendent Andrés Chait, LAUSD Board President Scott Schmerelson, and Councilmember John Lee—and KIPP Ignite Academy. The Read LA! team also welcomed children and their families back to school at Windsor Hills Elementary (with LAUSD Board Member Sherlett Hendy Newbill), McKinley Avenue Elementary, and Main Street Elementary (with the BSAP team members Dr. Travis Brandy, Dr. Charles D. Smith, and Dr. Brenda Regalado). Stay tuned for more events planned this fall!

Curious to learn more? Check out our new webpage where you can sign up to get updates on future Bookmobile news and events!

The READ Act: What Families Need to Know

For the last few years, California lawmakers have passed legislation and made investments to improve student literacy, including AB 1454. Now, FIS is proud to support the bipartisan Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development (READ) Act, which would modernize the federal government’s largest literacy grant program so evidence-based literacy instruction is the norm across the country.

We have joined over 120 parent organizations, literacy and dyslexia advocates, and national education organizations—including the National Parents Union—in endorsing the legislation. If passed, the READ Act will encourage states across the country to invest in:

• High-quality instructional materials aligned to the science of reading
• Universal early literacy screenings
• Parent notification and intervention plans
• Interventions like tutoring and summer learning programs

• Stronger alignment between teacher preparation programs and the science of reading
• Literacy coaching networks and professional development

Polling shows that parents across the political spectrum want national lawmakers to do more to ensure every child learns to read. We hope you’ll join us in supporting the READ Act as it moves through Congress.

Library Resources to Help Students Achieve School Success

With school starting, now is the perfect time to connect with your family’s local library. The library offers many free resources and tools to support your child’s educational success:

• Support with homework and studying: Your child can get help with school assignments at Student Zones and Homework Centers and engage in tutoring services in-person or online.

• Spaces to focus, print, and use technology: Study rooms can be reserved to access a quiet space to study, and your child can print school materials for free and use a computer for up to two hours each day.

• Research through books, articles, videos, and more: Databases like Britannica School and Gale in Context: Elementary allow your child explore subjects and access information designed for kids.

• Practice tests and workshops for college and career prep: If you have an older child, they can get ready for transitioning into college or a career through programs like the LearningExpress Library and Peterson's Test & Career Prep.

Both LA City and LA County libraries offer free library cards specifically for kids. Just go to the front desk to sign up!

Free Events for Families

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For 25 years, Families In Schools (FIS) has served low-income, immigrant, and communities of color, knowing that education remains the single most important opportunity for them. The mission of Families In Schools is to involve families and communities in their children’s education to achieve lifelong success. Read LA!, powered by FIS, is a campaign to ensure all children in Los Angeles can read and thrive.