Editorial: August 24, 2023

Johnny Needs to Read

Recently it has come to light that the fourth grade reading scores for children in New York have dropped at least six points, double the national average, on the test that allows for comparisons among the states. And that comparison puts our state—among, as we know, the largest—at number 32 in the nation for child literacy. New York is in the bottom half, and most reports concur that the state is not moving fast enough to remedy its literacy crisis, that is, through the introduction of new teaching materials to address many students’ differing needs and advanced training for teachers and principals rooted in the contemporary science of how children learn. New York, once a national leader in education reform, has not entered the 21st century, and literacy in New York, across the board, is suffering.