As summer break gets underway, Davis School District is inviting students and families to stay engaged with reading through its “Davis Reads 45” program, an initiative designed to keep literacy skills strong while school is out.
The program challenges students to read for 45 days during summer vacation, tracking their progress along the way and earning incentives for their effort.
How the Program Works
Students can participate by reading each day and marking their progress on a tracker.
Students mark one square for every day they read.
For every five days of reading, students can visit their school library to earn a prize.
Those who complete all 45 days of reading will be invited to a special event at their school.
The program is designed not only to motivate consistent reading, but also to celebrate students’ accomplishments throughout the summer months.
Summer Library Access
An important component of the initiative is continued access to books. District officials note that school libraries will be open during the summer, giving students opportunities to check out new reading materials.
Families are encouraged to check with their local elementary school for specific days and hours of summer library availability, as schedules vary by location.
Why Summer Reading Matters
Programs like Davis Reads 45 are rooted in decades of research highlighting the importance of continued learning during school breaks.
Educators often refer to the “summer slide,” a phenomenon in which students lose academic skills when they are not engaged in regular learning. Studies show that more than half of students experience a decline in reading ability over the summer, with many losing weeks or even months of progress.
This loss can add up over time. By the end of elementary school, some students may fall significantly behind grade level if they consistently lose skills during summer breaks.
However, research also makes clear that these losses are preventable – and even reversible.
Maintaining regular reading habits over the summer helps students:
Preserve reading fluency and comprehension skills
Strengthen vocabulary and language development
Build confidence and enjoyment in reading
Return to school ready to learn, rather than catching up
In fact, a recent study found that students who had access to books and continued reading over the summer made significant academic gains that are equivalent to nearly two-thirds of a school year.
Even simple habits like reading a few minutes each day can have a meaningful impact on a child’s long-term academic trajectory.
Building Lifelong Readers
The Davis Reads 45 program is also about more than just preventing learning loss. It aims to foster a love of reading by making it fun, rewarding and accessible.
By offering incentives, tracking progress and providing ongoing access to school libraries, the district is reinforcing the idea that reading is not just a classroom activity, it’s a lifelong skill.
Parents play a key role as well. The program encourages families to stay involved, including signing off when students complete all 45 days of reading, helping reinforce accountability and celebration at home.
A Community Effort
District leaders emphasize that summer literacy success is a shared effort between schools, families and students. With programs like Davis Reads 45, the goal is to ensure every child enters the next school year confident, prepared and ready to succeed.
Families interested in participating should reach out to their local elementary school for more information about library hours and how to get started.
As educators continue to highlight the importance of year-round learning, initiatives like Davis Reads 45 offer a simple but powerful reminder: a few minutes of reading each day can make a lasting difference.