This month, FCPS will introduce a new policy to help students improve their grades and skills: each student must read a mandated minimum number of pages from an approved text every week based on their grade level.  The reading requirements are carefully selected based on recent health studies. Starting on April 23rd, each student will need to read the following page requirement per week:

Students are to read their minimum requirement of pages every week then write an essay as well as a full scale review on their book so far. After reading their minimum requirement, students are required to write an essay summarizing what they have read (essay grading will be based on the student’s age).  

Their essays will be looked over thoroughly as to ensure they have genuinely read their requirements. Their books must be approved by an English teacher to ensure that they are reading at their level.

FCPS’s decision is rightfully justified by the several health benefits of reading. Several studies conducted by Harvard and Stanford show that reading enhances connectivity in the brain and boosts students’ short term memory. It has been proven that reading just half an hour per day improves student test scores by 27% because of its influence on the brain’s memory muscle. Another Harvard study shows that “exercising your brain in mentally challenging ways such as reading can lead to a slower rate of decline in memory.”  The study also reveals that reading improves students’ ability to concentrate on a sole thing and eliminate all distractions, which is known to be essential in school life. It’s a known fact that reading improves vocabulary. The more you read, the more words you are exposed to and familiar with. Being a well-spoken individual can help increase school and job performance and boosts self esteem. Having a good vocabulary can also be very beneficial when students are taking the SAT or writing college essays.

All Frederick County students will be required to read their minimum amount of pages every week and write a review and an essay about it. Perhaps the policy will be as beneficial as FCPS hopes, or it may be pointless—we’ll have to wait and see.