Frequently Asked Questions
Need something answered? Check out our resources below for further information.
Application & Enrollment Questions
What happens after I apply?
After you apply, there will be a waiting period while we confirm your child’s eligibility for New Worlds Reading using their education records. This process may take several months. You will not receive books until verification is complete.
You will receive a verification email notifying you of your child’s enrollment status. After you receive an email confirming your child is eligible, they will begin receiving books after 8 weeks. While you wait to be verified, use our free reading activities on our website.
What information do families have to provide when they apply?
Caregivers provide:
• Parent/Caregiver Information
• Phone number
• Email address
• Full Legal Student Information
• Date of birth
• Grade
• School district & School
• Shipment Address
• Book Interests
• Book Language Preference
Why do you ask for my child’s information when we apply?
We use this information to match the child’s application to their educational records to confirm if the child is eligible for our program. Without this information, verification and shipments will be delayed. As an institution within a public university, the UF Lastinger Center abides by all rules and regulations regarding the security of personal student information.
HOW CAN A SCHOOL BE ADDED TO THE APPLICATION?
If you are seeking to add a public or district-sponsored charter school to our program application, please email new.worlds@coe.ufl.edu with your school’s name and district. We will add it to the application upon verification with the district.
Program Questions
How can a caregiver change a student’s application information, like their address?
Email support@newworldsreading.com or call (855) 399-1147. Our support team is available between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (EST), Monday – Friday.
How can a caregiver unenroll a student?
Email support@newworldsreading.com or call (855) 399-1147. Our support team is available between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (EST), Monday – Friday.
How will books be delivered to students?
The New Worlds Reading Initiative delivers books directly to students’ homes through the mail.
What if I can’t receive books at home?
If circumstances such as homelessness, migrancy, or transience require an alternative delivery method, the UF Lastinger Center will work with the school and/or district to identify an alternate plan. Email new.worlds@coe.ufl.edu, and our team will be happy to assist.
Once my application is accepted, when will books start being delivered?
After you receive a confirmation email that your child is eligible and successfully enrolled, your first shipment of books may take several weeks to arrive. After your first shipment arrives, shipments will continue monthly through June.
How often will books be delivered?
Books are delivered on a monthly basis from October through June.
How many books will students receive each year?
Enrolled students will receive nine books per school year, no matter what month they were found eligible in. As a result, some students will receive shipments with more than one book and resources to ensure nine books will arrive for that school year.
What languages are available?
Books are available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and braille.
What formats are available to accommodate exceptional learners?
We are working diligently to make this program as inclusive as possible. Alternative book formats will be offered as available with plans for continued expansion.
Book Selection Questions
How will you determine the appropriate level of books for students?
Books are chosen in consultation with the Florida Department of Education’s Just Read, Florida! office, selected from the Florida B.E.S.T. Standards for each grade level. Additional titles are selected to meet the needs of students based on reading levels. Some titles will be selected that may be above the child’s reading level for caregivers to share with their children.
What kinds of books do you send families?
All books are selected in collaboration with Florida Department of Education. We work with our partner, Scholastic, to provide families with a variety of high-quality books based on children’s interests, grade level, and Florida B.E.S.T. Standards. Kids can choose both fiction and nonfiction books in a wide variety of genres and topics to appeal to their interests. You can see our full list of books here.
Will students and families get to choose their own books?
Students and their families will have the opportunity to select different sets of books that they would like to receive from a variety of categories. Our book sets represent a variety of topics, characters, settings, and stories.