Governor Susana Martinez says New Mexico's first-graders will have a gift waiting for them when they report to school at the end of the summer. It's a reading book.
Martinez announced Thursday the state has ordered more than 30,000 books that will be given to first-grade students to help improve their reading.
The governor said "by providing our students with a book of their own, we are encouraging learning at home" and getting parents involved in their children's education.
The books cost about $192,000 and will be delivered to school districts and charter schools, and distributed to first-graders at the start of the new school, which is in August in many communities. The books will be available in English and Spanish.