Recorded book readings on video available to students; First Lady kicks off a week of reading visits



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*OFFICE OF GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR*








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Gov. Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear and Lt. Gov Coleman Celebrate Read Across America Week

"Recorded book readings on video available to students; First Lady kicks off a week of reading visits"

*FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 2, 2024) ? *Today, on Dr. Seuss? birthday and National Read Across America Day, Gov. Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman shared video recordings of them reading books for students and educators across the commonwealth to view.

The First Lady will visit Carter Traditional Elementary School in Louisville on Monday to kick off a series of classroom visits where she will read with students from across Kentucky during Read Across America Week, which also begins today.

?Reading opens our minds, our hearts and our imaginations ? and a good book can teach our children lessons in friendship, kindness and leadership,? the *First Lady *said. ?Read Across America Week is the perfect opportunity to instill a love of reading in Kentucky students. I can?t wait to read stories with children across the commonwealth this week!?

?I want to wish Kentucky students and educators a happy Read Across America Week! When we read with our kids, we set them on a path to success,? said *Gov. Beshear*. ?As a dad to two amazing kids, some of my favorite memories involve us reading as a family. So, this week, we wanted to share some books with kids across the commonwealth.?

?Happy Read Across America Week,? said* Lt. Gov. Coleman*. ?Reading creates so many opportunities for children and sets them on the road to academic and career success. Some of my favorite memories I have with Evelynne come from our daily book time. I love reading to her and seeing how her imagination and creativity comes to life when we open a good book.?

Team Kentucky shared the following readings with Kentucky students:


* Governor Beshear reads ?Even Superheroes Have Bad Days? by Shelly Becker [ [link removed] ]
* Governor Beshear reads ?I Am Enough? by Grace Byers [ [link removed] ]
* Governor Beshear reads ?Dragons Love Tacos? by Adam Rubin [ [link removed] ]
* First Lady Beshear reads ?When a Dragon Moves In? by Jodi Moore [ [link removed] ]
* First Lady Beshear reads ?Red Apple in an Orange World? by Courtney Beshear Cooke [ [link removed] ]
* Lt. Gov. Coleman reads ?She Persisted? by Chelsea Clinton [ [link removed] ]

To see the full list of Team Kentucky reading videos, click here. [ [link removed] ]

*Building a World-Class Education System*
The Beshear administration will always put education first, so Kentucky kids become strong readers, learners and leaders.

The Governor?s budget plan provides $1.1 billion over two years to fund an 11% raise to all public school employees ? including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and janitors. This increase would bring Kentucky?s average teacher starting pay to $42,191, which would bring Kentucky up to 24th in the country for teacher starting salary in?National Education Association [ [link removed] ]?(NEA) rankings. The pay raise also would bring Kentucky up to 25th in average teacher salary from its current ranking of 40th in the NEA?s rankings.

The plan also provides $172 million each year to fund universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds. The Department of Education estimates that under this plan, about 34,000 additional Kentucky 4-year-olds would be provided preschool education.

The Governor?s plan fully funds teacher pensions and student transportation; ensures no health insurance premium increase for educators; provides teachers student loan forgiveness; supports professional development; funds textbooks; boosts mental health services; and will help build new career and technical education centers.

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