Hampstead Hill Academy students expanded their home libraries with new books from Reading Opens the World, a national initiative created by the American Teachers Federation, a national teachers labor union, to promote literacy and address pandemic learning loss. As a result of the pandemic, elementary reading test scores saw the largest average decline since 1990, according to data released by the National Center for Education Statistics.

AFT-Maryland distributed nearly 3,000 books to PreK through eighth-grade students on Thursday. Many of the books highlighted diverse identities and celebrated National Hispanic Heritage month.

Principal Matthew Hornbeck said, “representation matters, it matters in the books that you have in the library and matters in the teachers in front of the students.”

“We were able to put bilingual books in the hands of our students to take home to parents who don't speak English at all,” said Kenya Campbell AFT - Maryland president. “ It gives families an opportunity to help with their student's progress and academic success.”

Hornbeck added that “pandemic learning loss is real” and books that reflect a student's identity and culture are important for academic engagement and success.

He said last year the number of students behind after virtual learning was a challenge, but this school year it's more typical.

In addition to book giveaways, which Hornbeck said helps to build “literature-rich environments at home,” to tackle learning loss, the school created a tutoring program to provide support for students who fell behind during virtual learning.

Jason LaBarr, an ESOL teacher who also works with students struggling in reading and literacy said having books at home is a great way to keep students engaged.

“If children are constantly exposed to texts, books and literacy, it will become a normal part of their lives and they'll want to interact with that more and more, and so they'll understand the importance of it.”