AAP on the Hill / Issues: Education & Literacy
September 12, 2003
Help Promote Reading & Literacy in the U.S.
Support the Book Stamp Act, H.R. 126The Book Stamp Act: Promotes child literacy and improves young children’s access to books at home and in early learning and other child care programs by making books available through early learning and other child care programs.
Students who reported having all four types of reading materials (books, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedia) in their home scored, on average, higher than those who reported having fewer reading materials. 1
The Book Stamp Act: Provides children with their own books before they enter school by authorizing the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special “child literacy” stamp that would allow purchasers to voluntarily pay a small premium above the regular first-class rate to support child literacy programs. Similar stamps issued to support breast cancer research generated $12 million.
Children who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3-4 times more likely to drop out in later years. 2
The Book Stamp Act: Establishes a grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services. Funds to purchase books will be distributed through the Child Care and Development Block Grant to the state childcare agency. The non-profit agencies that receive the funds will work with established book distribution programs such as Reading is Fundamental, Reach Out and Read and First Book to help coordinate the purchasing of discounted books.
“Growing up without books is growing up deprived and with a deprivation that puts one at risk for failure.” 3
The Book Stamp Act: Helps children who may not otherwise be exposed to books prior to entering school, the opportunity to have books in their homes and daycare facilities. Help ensure these children have a chance!
In 1999, only 53 percent of children aged 3 to 5 were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read aloud to everyday than are children in families with incomes at or above the poverty line. 4
For more information on H.R. 126, contact Angela Murphy at the Association of American Publishers at amurphy@publishers.org. To cosponsor this legislation, contact Chris Hartmann (x55801) in the office of Congressman Rush Holt.
1 The Nation’s Report Card: Fourth-Grade Reading 2000, April 2001, The National Center for Education Statistics
2 National Adult Literacy Survey, (1992) NCES, U.S. Department of Education
3 Dr. Perri Klass, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University Schools of Medicine
4 The National Center for Education Statistics, NCES Fast Facts, Family Reading.
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To view the full text of the bill, please click on the above link for more information.For more information contact:
Gloria Romanelli
Ph: 202-220-4542
Email: gromanelli@publishers.org