• As a mother’s education increases, so does the likelihood that her child is read to every day. In 1996, about three-quarters (77 percent) of children whose mothers were college graduates were read aloud to every day. In comparison, daily reading aloud occurred for 62 percent of children whose mothers had some postsecondary experience, 49 percent whose mothers had completed high school but had no education beyond that, and 37 percent whose mothers had not completed high school.

• White, non-Hispanic children are more likely to be read aloud to every day than either black, non-Hispanic or Hispanic children. Sixty-four percent of white, non-Hispanic children, 44 percent of black non-Hispanic children, and 39 percent of Hispanic children were read to every day in 1996.

• Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read aloud to every day than are children in families with incomes above the poverty line. Forty-six percent of children in families in poverty were read to every day in 1996, compared to 61 percent of children in families above the poverty line.

• Children living with two parents are more likely to be read aloud to every day than are children who live with one or no parent. Sixty-one percent of children in two-parent households were read to every day in 1996, compared to 46 percent of children living with one or no parent.

A snapshot of the stats
Below is a chart demonstrating the percentage of children ages 3 to 5 who were read to every day by a family member by mother’s education (based on 1996).