One of my favorite memories as a school administrator wasn't tied to a test score or a schoolwide initiative. I was walking through the halls one morning and overhearing two students excitedly debating which graphic novel was better. No teacher had assigned the conversation. There wasn't a reading challenge happening that week. They were simply talking about books because they wanted to. Moments like that reminded me that while we spend a great deal of time teaching students “how” to read, we also have to create opportunities for them to discover why reading is worth coming back to.
I work with schools and districts that are making significant investments in literacy through evidence-based instruction, stronger curricula, and targeted interventions. Those efforts matter, and they're helping more students build essential reading skills. But becoming a lifelong reader requires something more. Students also need opportunities to experience reading as enjoyable, personal, and woven into everyday school life.
The good news is that building a stronger school reading culture doesn't require overhauling your literacy program. In many cases, it begins with small, intentional actions that help students see reading as something they choose—not just something they're assigned. Those moments may seem small on their own, but together they create meaningful momentum.
Reading Culture Is Built Through Small Moments
A strong reading culture isn't built through a single assembly, book fair, reading challenge, or schoolwide event. Those experiences can create excitement, but lasting change comes from the everyday moments that help students see themselves as readers.
Research on reading motivation shows that choice and personal connection play an important role in helping students engage with texts. Simply giving students time to read is not always enough. Students are more motivated when they have opportunities to choose what they read and connect reading to their own interests. As one study on middle school reading engagement notes, “Allowing students to choose what they want to read goes a long way toward enhancing their desire to read.”
In schools, those choices and connections can happen in small ways every day. A teacher recommends a favorite book. A student shares a graphic novel with a friend. The principal asks, “What are you reading?” Morning announcements celebrate reading milestones. Families read together at home.
Each moment reinforces the same message: reading is something we value, celebrate, and make time for every day.
A 30-Day Reading Culture Challenge
The good news is that these moments don't have to happen by accident. Schools can be intentional about creating more of them, building small habits that become part of the school day. Here are some practical strategies for getting started over the next 30 days, one week at a time.
Week 1: Make Reading an Easy Choice
The first step in building a reading culture is removing the barriers that can make reading feel like another assignment. Refresh book displays so students can easily discover something new. Offer a range of genres and formats, from graphic novels and nonfiction to audiobooks and digital books. Protect time for independent reading, highlight students' interests, and let them browse without pressure. The goal is to create more opportunities for every student to find a way into reading.
Bob Folsom Elementary School in the Farmington School District in Arkansas offers a great example. Media specialist Jennifer Dowdle wanted to move beyond a model centered on Accelerated Reader and book-level requirements. By transitioning to Beanstack, the school focused on participation, fluency, stamina, and reading for enjoyment. The school also made room for younger students to log read-alouds and class reading time, helping every student participate.
That approach paid off. Bob Folsom reached 100% participation, and Dowdle reported seeing a tremendous increase in student reading. Students were excited to read, and that excitement translated into more books being checked out. Sometimes, making reading easier to say yes to starts with simply giving students more ways to say yes.
Week 2: Make Reading Personal
Once students have easy access to books, the next step is helping them find reading that feels like it belongs to them. Ownership grows when students have a voice in what they read and how their reading is celebrated. Try student recommendation displays, reading interest surveys, student-created book lists, genre spotlights, and peer recommendations. Ask students what they enjoy, then use what you learn to shape your reading culture.
Guadalupe Centers Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri, offers a strong example of this approach. With no library or librarian, the school's ELA team has taken the lead in building a culture of reading. Through its Aztecs Read initiative, students complete surveys about their reading interests, preferences, and habits. That feedback isn't simply collected and filed away. It helps inform book purchases, reading challenges, and celebrations, giving students a genuine voice in shaping their reading experience.
That feedback loop matters. When students see their interests reflected in the books available to them and the ways their whole school celebrates reading, they begin to see themselves as part of the reading community. At Guadalupe Centers, 55% of students reported liking or loving reading, while 54% said they read more than the previous year. Personal connection can be a powerful reason to pick up the next book.
Week 3: Make Reading Visible
Reading becomes more powerful when students see that it's not something they do alone. Making reading visible turns it into a shared experience and helps create the sense that reading belongs to everyone in the school community. Set a schoolwide reading goal. Invite staff to give informal book talks or share what they're reading. Pair older and younger students as reading buddies. Host family reading nights or partner with your local public library.
Brazosport Independent School District in Texas saw the power of making reading a community effort. When district leaders noticed that independent reading declined after elementary school, they shifted their approach for students in grades 5–12, moving away from a quiz-driven model and toward greater choice. The district saw the power of making reading a shared experience. Teachers, administrators, families, and district leaders all became part of the wider community effort.
Teachers participated in professional development book clubs and logged their own reading. Friendly competitions between campuses made progress visible, while posters, announcements, and school events kept the conversation going. The approach created a shared sense of momentum. The district logged nearly 5.4 million reading minutes, high school library circulation increased by 32% in the second year, and teachers and administrators became visible participants in the district's reading culture.
When students see the adults around them reading, talking about books, and celebrating progress, reading becomes part of school culture—not just another academic expectation.
Week 4: Celebrate Every Reader
The final week is about building momentum by making reading worth celebrating. That doesn't mean every celebration needs a prize. Recognize participation, progress, consistency, reading streaks, recommendations, and classroom milestones. A student who reads for the first time in weeks deserves recognition just as much as the student who finishes their tenth book. When schools celebrate a range of reading experiences, more students can see themselves as successful readers.
Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Tinley Park, Illinois, offers a great example. Its Million-Minute Challenge became a defining part of the school year by making reading visible and celebrated throughout the community. Students worked toward a shared goal, while weekly morning announcements recognized readers and classrooms competed for a "Top Bean" trophy. Even the principal got involved, promising to let students dump beans on his head at the end of the year.
The celebrations were fun, but the real goal was to build a shared sense of purpose. Students surpassed the school's 10-minute daily reading goal within the first few months, and the school reached more than 75% participation in its first month.
When reading is consistently recognized and celebrated, students begin to understand that their effort matters. When the whole community celebrates every reader, reading becomes something everyone can feel proud to be part of.
Start Small, Build a Culture That Lasts
The 30 days are a starting point, not the finish line. Schools build reading cultures in many different ways, and there is no single formula for success. Reading platforms like Beanstack make those efforts more visible by supporting reading challenges, celebrating milestones, and giving educators insight into participation. But technology is only one piece of the puzzle. The foundation is always the same: creating consistent opportunities for students to discover that reading can be meaningful, personal, and joyful.
Want More Practical Ideas?
Download our free Principal’s Guide to Building a Reading Culture to explore the four foundations of reading culture and learn how schools across the country are bringing them to life.
Reading Culture FAQs
How can schools build a reading culture?
Schools can build a reading culture by creating consistent opportunities for students to discover, enjoy, and share books. This includes providing access to diverse reading materials, protecting time for independent reading, encouraging student choice, celebrating reading progress, and making reading visible across the school community.
How long does it take to build a reading culture in a school?
Building a strong reading culture is an ongoing process, but schools can begin creating meaningful momentum within 30 days by focusing on small, intentional actions. Simple steps like refreshing book access, highlighting student recommendations, celebrating reading milestones, and involving staff can help establish habits that grow over time.
Why is student choice important for reading engagement?
Student choice helps students develop ownership over their reading experiences. When students can choose books that match their interests, reading levels, and identities, they are more likely to feel motivated, engaged, and connected to reading.
What are some ways schools can encourage students to read more?
Schools can encourage students to read more by offering a variety of books and formats, creating reading challenges, sharing book recommendations, hosting reading events, involving families, and celebrating all types of reading progress. The goal is to help students see reading as an enjoyable part of everyday life.
How can technology help schools build a reading culture?
Technology can help schools support a reading culture by making reading participation visible, simplifying reading challenges, celebrating milestones, and providing educators with insights into student engagement. Platforms like Beanstack help schools create structured opportunities for students to connect with books and build lasting reading habits.
