What techniques should the public schools use to strengthen literacy at all grade levels?

I think that the biggest issue with getting kids to read is all the easier more distracting things there are available in our world today. To combat this I think schools need to assign FUN reading for students. I grew up in a family that reads A LOT. When I was a kid I use to read Ramona Quimby, Nancy Drew, Betsy, Tacy and Tibb and many others; I loved every second of it. When I got into school we were assigned books to read that I found rather drab and tended to read my own books when I should have read those. I understand the relevancy of these reading choices now, but at the time hated it. What would be bad about making Harry Potter an assigned read for kids, just to get them into the fun and fantasy of books. Then once their interest is piqued switch off between fun and educational. In the end, parents are and always will be the key to a child loving books though, bottom line.