Additional settings for Safari Browser.
Taylor Farms - Golden Ticket Reading Program
Taylor Farm Golden Ticket Reading Program
In a wonderful show of support for early literacy, 284 third-grade students in the Santa Rita Union School District who scored at or above grade level on the CAASPP Assessment during the 2nd trimester of the 2025-26 school year will each receive $250 from Taylor Farms. This generous reward is part of an ongoing effort to encourage strong reading skills and celebrate student success across Monterey County.
The incentive is part of the Golden Ticket Reading Program, supported by The Golden Ticket Foundation, a nonprofit created by Taylor Farms to motivate and reward young readers. The foundation’s goal is to make the program a long-term initiative that recognizes student achievement while inspiring a love of reading in the early grades.
This is the foundation’s first major project, inspired by the idea that early reading proficiency plays a huge role in a child’s future success. Studies continue to show that students who read confidently by third grade are more likely to thrive academically throughout their school years.
These awards celebrate the hard work, growth, and determination of third-grade students who have reached this important milestone. For many families, the recognition serves as both encouragement and a meaningful reminder of what students can accomplish with consistent support.
Thanks to Taylor Farms’ commitment to education, the Golden Ticket Reading Program is more than just a reward—it’s an investment in our community’s future and a celebration of the power of literacy to open doors for lifelong learning and leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
The Golden Ticket Reader Incentive Program was launched by Taylor Farms, which is wholly funding the endeavor—no District funds are being spent on it. The goal of the program is to incentivize students to brush up on their reading skills in the earliest years of elementary schools, so students are reading at or above grade level by the third grade.
The incentive comes in the form of a $250 award to those third grade students who were found to be reading at or above grade level.
Going forward, the program will be managed through a nonprofit launched by Taylor, called The Golden Ticket Foundation.
-
The goal of the Golden Ticket Reader Incentive Program is that students in the earlier grades are working on their reading, including reading over the summer. First and second grade students were (or will be, depending on the school) invited to a Reader Incentive Program assembly to catch the excitement of receiving an award for reading.
-
Taylor intends on this being an ongoing effort. Here is a direct quote from Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms: "This initial gift will reward 242 third-grade students currently reading at third grade level. Our intention is for this to be an ongoing program, as official assessments are completed and additional third graders achieve or exceed expectations, additional money will be donated."
-
Students’ performance on the CAASPP reading assessment administered in the second trimester.
-
This program directly supports the District's LCAP (Local Control & Accountability Plan) Goal 2, Fostering A Culture of Academic Achievement and Engagement. This goal states, "All students will demonstrate grade-level proficiency in English Language Arts and Math."
This initiative focuses on ensuring that all 3rd-grade students achieve grade-level reading proficiency, using the District-approved metric. -
To the greatest level possible, make reading a part of your everyday home life. Visit the library and make sure your child has a library card of their own. If you're able, sit with them for ten minutes a day and read to, or with, them. And if you find your own reading skills need polishing, DO NOT BE EMBARRASSED. The District will resume adult literacy classes in the fall, and we will let you know when they will begin closer to the start of the 2026-27 school year.