Florida’s third grade reading results were released a few weeks ago. Nationwide, 54% of third graders read at the grade level, compared with 58% in 2019. While student learning stagnated during the pandemic, these results show we need to approach reading teaching in new ways.
The ability to read both changes and saves lives. Poor reading and writing skills lead to higher drop-out rates, incarceration, and lower lifetime income. Research shows that students who fail to read at the class level by third grade rarely catch up. When fourth grade students move from learning to reading to reading to learning, students fall even further behind.
More:Family conversations with reading difficulties in times of COVID
In February, I presented the Science of Reading, a collection of evidence we know about how children learn to read, to the Florida House of Representatives Subcommittee on Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Based on decades of research, it shows how reading skills are developed, what happens in the brains of students who are having difficulty, and how to teach the complexities of reading. Recently, a mixed race school in Florida that introduced this type of instruction saw a dramatic increase in performance as 84% of its third graders read at the class level.
Teachers are best positioned to influence student reading performance, but many are not adequately equipped in reading science. We need to strengthen their ability to deliver quality reading lessons through meaningful professional development and support.
For example, the Florida Department of Education provides free access to the Flamingo Literacy Matrix online professional development system for thousands of teachers across the state. Developed by the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning in collaboration with the state, this professional development program improved teacher knowledge by an average of 82%.
We also need to recognize and empower parents and caregivers as the children’s first teachers. Access to quality books and other printed materials is a critical first step in making children successful. To unlock the full power of books, families need access to practical and engaging resources, tools, and strategies that provide a solid foundation for language and literacy development.
This spring, MP Dana Trabulsy tabled a bill that House Speaker Chris Sprowls introduced to address these challenges. Called the New Worlds Reading Initiative, it is a nationwide book delivery and family engagement program that offers monthly book deliveries to readers in need between kindergarten and fifth grade. Realizing that books alone cannot eradicate illiteracy, the initiative will urge school districts and community organizations to promote reading and develop family skills to improve children’s reading skills.
These and other laws nationwide promoting the science of reading professional development help build the comprehensive system required of an educated Florida. By providing teachers and parents with the right tools, we put children on the road to success. Through our libraries, schools, faith-based organizations, and the state’s many resources, we can build a Florida with confident readers who have a love of reading that will last for generations.
Dr. Paige Pullen is the scientific director of the UF Lastinger Center for Learning.
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