Despite success, family reading program in Washington state faces deep funding cuts

For kids across Washington state who are struggling readers, a type of book club for families is showing promising results. But state and federal budget cuts have shrunk the program by 85%. Supporters hope for a turnaround this year.

As with many book clubs, the Prime Time Family Reading Program involves eating as well as reading.

“We start off with a really simple meal, pizza or burritos," said Julie Ziegler, CEO and executive director of Humanities Washington, which oversees the program. "A lot of families are coming from school or work and hungry tummies don’t learn well.”

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These meetings often take place in libraries or through after-school programs. The book clubs are intended for reluctant readers in third or fourth grade, who are referred through their schools.

“They’ve either decided reading is not for them — not good at it, don’t like it — for whatever reason school interventions haven’t helped,” Ziegler said.

At the weekly meetings, storytellers read books out loud to the group and lead meaningful conversations about them. They try to help parents with any hesitation they might feel about reading out loud to their own kids. And facilitators send books home with families to read for the coming week.

“Teachers tell us that kids who participate in the program often jump three reading levels or more just over that six-week period of time,” Ziegler said.

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Ziegler said the program got an infusion of $1 million in one-time federal funding in 2022, which allowed it to expand. But then the Trump administration and state lawmakers cut the program’s funding completely last year.

There’s demand for 92 locations statewide, but right now they can only offer 20 that obtained funding from private foundations. Ziegler said the goal is to serve communities that don’t have any private funders available.

Current program hosts include KBTC public television in partnership with the Tacoma Housing Authority, and the Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe with the Kitsap Regional Library.

The program also provides books for free and helps families get familiar with their local library. She said many families continue the weekly trip to the library after the program ends.

Ziegler is currently seeking $500,000 from the state Legislature to meet the demand for the program statewide.

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In January President Trump signed legislation that could direct $1.2 million to Humanities Washington to help fund all of its programs.

“We’re hopeful but also wary after the events of the last year that the National Endowment for the Humanities will direct these funds where Congress intended,” Ziegler said.

She said Humanities Washington is part of a lawsuit seeking to recover up to $500,000 in 2025 funding but said that is “a huge long shot.”

In a typical year, Ziegler said arts organizations can pivot if one source of funding is lost.

“We’re at a point now where flexibility is getting harder and harder,” she said.