All OCPS students, employees, families, and community members are encouraged to participate in the Let’s Read OCPS! challenge by individually reading at least 500 minutes throughout the challenge, which is only about eight total hours of reading in 94 days. Participants are encouraged to read whatever they choose for enjoyment and to log their minutes in Beanstack, a LaunchPad application that motivates and rewards students for reading.

• Challenge Participants are Stronger Readers: Simply by taking part and logging 500 minutes or more, students were 18% more successful in achieving reading proficiency compared to non-participants.
• Reading Leads to Greater Improvement: Students who hit the 500-minute goal were nearly 10% more successful at improving their achievement level (for example, moving from a Level 2 to a Level 3).
• The Power of Practice: Of the students who read for 500+ minutes, 82 out of every 100 improved their overall reading score. More reading means more improvement!

Students and employees are encouraged to log their minutes in Beanstack, which can be found on LaunchPad, in the Library Research Tools folder. Students and employees can earn badges and view their progress throughout the challenge by opening the Let's Read OCPS challenge on the Beanstack Challenges page. To learn more about how to log minutes in Beanstack as a student or employee, see the resources below:

• How to Log Minutes in Beanstack as a Student (Video)
• How to Log Minutes in Beanstack (Guide)

More information about the Let's Read, OCPS! challenge and how to participate can be found in this letter to families. Families and community members are also encouraged to read and log their minutes in Beanstack.

• Winter Park Library Card Holders: Use this Beanstack link if you have a Winter Park Library card. Note that the WPL Beanstack is not tied to our OCPS challenge, but you can model reading and logging behavior and track your minutes there.  WPL will report their minutes weekly to add to the Let’s Read, OCPS! total.
• Non-Card Holders: No time to sign up for a library card? No problem. Families and community members can use this Re-Imagine Communities Beanstack site to log their minutes.  Minutes logged during the Let’s Read, OCPS! window will be shared with OCPS to join the grand total.

Participants can share about their reading journey using #OCPSreads on social media platforms. 

Participants are encouraged to read whatever interests them. Students and employees may check out a book from their school’s media center or an eBook, audiobook, or magazine on Sora, the district’s electronic library, accessible on LaunchPad in the Library Research Tools folder. To learn more about Sora, see the resources below. 

• Guide: How to Use Sora 
• Sora Overview (Video)

Employees, families, and community members can frequent their local library to borrow reading materials of interest to them. The Orange County Library System (OCLS) has 15 branches throughout the county and a vast collection of eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines available via Libby. To learn more about the OCLS and its services, see the resources below:

• OCLS Library Card Sign Up
• OCLS Locations
• OCLS Libby

Not sure what to read? See below for our recommended reads.

• 2025-2026 SSYRA Jr. List (Kindergarten-2nd grade)
• 2025-2026 SSYRA List for 3rd-5th grade
• 2025-2026 SSYRA List for Middle School
• 2025-2026 Florida Teens Read (9th-12th grade)

Let’s Read, OCPS! is thrilled to highlight the wonderful work of five talented authors whose books will be featured throughout the challenge. We extend our sincere gratitude to each of these authors for generously donating a virtual author visit to inspire our students!

	Karina Gonzalez
	Amar Shah
	Jerry Craft
	Jen Calonita

Employees, especially teachers, are invited to promote Let’s Read OCPS to their students—all reading counts, including academic and independent reading during the school day. Teachers can easily log reading minutes for the entire class and help students reach their reading goals. In addition, employees can use the bulletin board kit or posters to promote Let’s Read OCPS and celebrate top readers. See the resources below for more information.

• Logging minutes for an entire class
• Let’s Read OCPS Posters and More
• Identifying top readers using Beanstack Insights

Families can promote reading at home by reading with their child(ren), taking their child(ren) to their local library, discussing and asking questions about their child’s book, and competing against each other for the most minutes or books read. Additional conversation ideas can be found in the resource below:

• Admissionsquad: Reading Comprehension Questions For Parents to Ask
• Scholastic: 7 Important Questions to Ask Your Child During Story Time

Community members can promote Let’s Read OCPS through their social media platforms using #OCPSreads. Local business owners interested in promoting the challenge may contact Re-Imagine Communities to discuss partnerships.

• Let’s Read OCPS Posters and More

Schools, students, and employees can be rewarded for participating in the Let’s Read, OCPS! challenge through prizes sponsored by local businesses listed below, including Orlando Health, the lead sponsor for April. 

• Ann Taylor Loft (Waterford Lakes)
• Astroskate
• Bahama Buck’s
• Crayola Experience Orlando
• Del Taco
• Dezerland
• Dixie Cream Cafe (Windermere)
• Dunkin’
• FunSpot
• Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
• KellGrace Hair and Makeup Studio (Winter Park)
• Portillo’s
• Raising Cane’s
• Rifle Paper Company
• Taylor James Salon (Winter Park)
• Waters Express Car Wash
• Writer’s Block Bookstore

The district is grateful to wonderful partners who promote and celebrate our community’s love of reading.

• City of Orlando
• Orange County Government
• Orange County Library System
• Winter Park Library
• Re-Imagine Communities