1 in 3 American Children Can’t Read Beyond a Basic Level
The American Education system is in crisis
Education in reading is a basic skill that all children need in order to have a bright future. There are words to be read everywhere, from instructions to cook meals, to employment applications to be filled out. If you can’t read, it is difficult to function in society.
As a recent expat, this is something I am learning all too well. I don’t have the basic reading skills of a child in German, so that means I can barely even cook food, do shopping, or an array of other basic tasks.
According to Yahoo News,
About 1 in 3 children in the United States cannot read at a basic level of comprehension, according to a key national exam. The outcomes are particularly troubling for Black and Native American children, nearly half of whom score “below basic” by eighth grade.
This is a crisis of epic proportions, that our children aren’t getting the basic skills needed to survive in our world. But what can be done about it?
Teacher Shortages
I can’t help but wonder if children’s reading skills failing is connected to a shrinking teacher workforce, and the teacher shortage in the US.
