The Life Is Better When We Read Together initiative celebrates the joy of reading and provides access for students across the nation to support daily reading

Bloomington, Minn. (Jan. 26, 2021) — To highlight the importance of daily reading during the COVID-19 pandemic, Renaissance, a global leader in pre-K–12 education technology, is offering unlimited free access to myON digital books and news articles from February 1–7, 2021. The importance of reading materials at home cannot be overstated. In fact, research shows that kids with access to at least 500 books at home are more likely to graduate high school, while kids with minimal access to books often don’t make it past grade 9.*

Students, educators, and parents will access myON through a simple log-in, and low-bandwidth and offline reading options will maximize the reach of the Life Is Better When We Read Together initiative. As part of the week-long celebration of reading, Renaissance will also publish live metrics throughout to see if participants can top last year’s engagement and crack the goal of half a million hours spent reading.

Teachers are encouraged to share what their students are reading on Instagram using the hashtag #BetterWhenWeReadTogether and tag the @renlearnus account. On February 22, one lucky teacher will be randomly selected and their school will receive a six month subscription to myON. If they are already a myON customer, they will be able to gift the subscription to an eligible school of their choice and choose a publisher package add-on for their own school.

“The events of this past year have highlighted just how important access to reading materials is to ensure equity in education for all students. We are excited to provide a resource for schools and families that gives access to a vast collection of digital books and news articles designed to foster a love of reading,” said Gene Kerns, Chief Academic Officer at Renaissance. “Students will find reading materials by a wide range of authors on diverse topics in both English and Spanish.”

To help teachers make the most of their free week of myON, Renaissance is making available its latest What Kids Are Reading report, featuring lists of popular titles on the myON platform. Teachers can also create their own custom reports sorted by state, grade, genre, and more to inform their instruction and keep students engaged with titles that thousands of their peers have read and loved before them.

“In our district, we’ve seen firsthand the power of a community reading initiative and how easily myON makes it to tap into that power,” said Bree Valla, Deputy Superintendent at Lompoc Unified School District in California. “We’re excited to be part of an even larger community celebrating reading across the nation this February.”

For more information, visit www.renaissance.com/literacy-engagement-center/.

*Evans, M., et al. (2010). Family scholarly culture and educational success: Books and schooling in 27 nations. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 28(2), 171–197.

About Renaissance

As a global leader in assessment, reading, and math solutions for pre-K–12 schools and districts, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. Renaissance solutions are used in over one-third of US schools and in more than 100 countries worldwide. The Renaissance portfolio includes Star Assessments, for reliable, accurate insights into K–12 student learning; myIGDIs, for accurate assessment of early learning; myON, to increase students’ access to high-quality reading materials; Accelerated Reader, to support independent reading practice; Freckle, for teacher-led differentiated instruction; and Schoolzilla, to give educators actionable insights into trends in student attendance and achievement. For more information, visit www.renaissance.com.

Press contact:
Ken Stoflet
Communications Specialist
Renaissance
(715) 424-3636 ext. 2332
[email protected]