| Placer, El Dorado County, CA | November 6, 2012 Election |
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Improving Student SuccessBy Pam (Robie) HartCandidate for Member; Placer County Board of Education; Trustee Area 4 |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
We must draw a line in the sand for reading literacy at third grade. Allowing children to advance without knowing how to read is one of the greatest blunders in education today.Why are we spending so much money on housing prisoners? Why can't our graduation rates get above 70%? These questions have been plaguing us for years. One of the reasons identified is `reading literacy'. If a student cannot read + they are lost, they cannot connect to what is being taught. Once they are lost + they tune out. Once they tune out + they have a hard time getting engaged again in a productive manner. This is one of the biggest issues facing our society today. We must teach all children to read and draw a line in the sand at third grade. No one's questioning the importance of reading by the end of third grade -- that's considered the turning point for when students read to learn instead of learn to read -- but educators and lawmakers are worried the changes are a burden already strapped school districts cannot address. Educators have said the third-grade milestone is important because most learning after that point happens by reading. A 2011 report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found students who score less than proficient on third-grade tests are four times as likely not to graduate from high school on time as their proficient peers. (http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/news/local/money-questions-surround-kasichs-education-reform-/nNSMz/) Holding students back is not the only answer. Repeating third grade with the same material and schedule is not productive. Often summer school and/or after school remedial programs are enough. School funding is limited, so adding another class is not fiscally possible. This is where volunteer programs can make a difference. In Auburn, Sight Word Busters, founded by Linda LoBue (http://www.LearnWithLinda.com) has been operating at Rock Creek School for the past two years. Volunteers go into Kindergarten, First and Second grade classrooms to make sure the students can readily identify the high frequency words (or sight words). Each volunteer spends two minutes (sometimes more, we can't help it!) with each student, giving one-on-one attention and instruction. The goal is to make sure that all students entering the third grade can identify and use 240 Sight Words. I am proud to be a volunteer in this program. I believe in the phrase "if it doesn't work, try another way". This is what we are doing + without funding from the school budget. We are helping to increase the literacy rate of Rock Creek Students. On a larger scale + I will continue to write to legislators and encourage the Department of Education to adopt stricter Third Grade Reading Standards; all children should be reading at Third Grade level in order to move to fourth grade. If lawmakers and educators want students to read and be successful-- and want to spend taxpayer money wisely -- we must identify these students early, provide special programs and make repeating a grade the last resort. With the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, requirements for all subject matter areas will be strengthened +but + we need to make reading a priority! |
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ca/plc Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 23, 2012 17:03
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