E&W Blog

The disturbing trend of low reading and math scores reported by the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) took center stage at today’s Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education subcommittee hearing. These latest results continue a decades-long pattern, with NAEP Long-Term Trend scores showing little to no improvement since 1971.


Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) started off by giving a synopsis of how our nation got on this path. “For generations, students in elementary school were taught to read by identifying letters and the sounds they represent. But then, starting in the 1970s, a new idea called ‘whole language’ arose, leaving behind the explicit instruction of phonics as old-fashioned. This new method, which came to be known as ‘three-cueing’ or ‘balanced literacy,’ encourages students to read by guessing an unknown word based on its context and structure within a sentence, or even adjacent pictures in the book,” he said. 


Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) highlighted how an inability to read impacts a student’s future. According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare. “Literacy is a gateway skill… if we can’t read, we can’t unlock and access learning from all other subjects,” Ms. Chandra Roughton, Founder of Luminous Minds, explained. “If I can’t read and I don’t have reading comprehension and I’m in high school, I can’t read a drama script and fully embody and play my role correctly. If I’m a tradesman, I need to be able to read safety codes and warranties and manuals.” 


In an exchange with Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Dr. Cade Brumley, State Superintendent of Education for the State of Louisiana, emphasized that when teachers are supported, students perform better. “The fact that we’ve gone from 49th on the Nation’s Report Card to 32nd today and number 16 on fourth grade literacy is a testament to the teachers. Roughly three or four years ago, we had about 2,500 teaching vacancies in our state; now we [have] got about 1,000. That has to do with smart policies enacted at the state [level] and local [governments] doing really good work,” he explained. “If we can make sure that every classroom in the state of Louisiana is equipped with a high-quality teacher, we’ll get great results.” 

 
Rep. James Moylan (R-GU)discussed with witnesses the importance of empowering state and local districts to improve student test scores. “Our NAEP scores have jumped tremendously in the last several years. Trusting in our elected folks and appointed folks is pivotal and I think we have great leadership within the state of Alabama,” said Dr. Brent Harrison, Superintendent at Saraland City Schools.
  In his line of questioning, Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) asked about how we can keep education focused on essential skills like reading and math rather than political indoctrination. “Whether we’re having conversations with teachers, school boards, the legislature, or advocates it’s about how can we together pursue academic excellence in these key content areas,” explained Dr. Brumley. 

Bottom line: It’s time to abandon failed theories and restore evidence-based reading instruction that actually works. Committee Republicans are demanding rigor, not educational fads.