Reading Woes: Why America's Kids Are Falling Behind

America is facing a huge problem.

Kids are struggling with reading and math. The numbers are not good. In just six years, the number of young adults who can't read well has jumped a lot.

The Numbers Don't Lie

• 2017: 16% of young adults struggled with reading.
• 2023: 25% of young adults struggle with reading.

That's a big deal.

The Reality in Schools

In some city schools, less than half of the kids are reading or doing math at the level they should be. Many high school grads can't even read their own diplomas.

"It's not just about grades. It's about the future. If kids can't read well, they can't succeed. This puts the country's future at risk."

The Problem is Getting Worse

Some schools are making things easier instead of harder. They are lowering the bar. They think this will help kids pass. But it's not working.

Kids need to be challenged. They need to read full books. Not just parts of them.

A Case Study: Alice Deal Middle School

Alice Deal Middle School in Washington, D.C. is one of the best schools in the city. But even here, they are removing full-length novels from the eighth-grade English class.

"They say it will help kids get ready for high school. But how? Reading parts of a book is not the same as reading the whole thing. It's like watching only a few scenes of a movie. You miss the whole story."

The Solution: Raising the Bar

There is hope. Some states like Louisiana and Mississippi are going back to basics. They are using phonics. Their reading scores are going up. They are beating states with more money.

"Kids should be able to read full books. They should be able to enjoy them. They should be able to learn from them. Lowering the bar is not the answer. Raising it is."