Striving Readers Act of 2007
Taken from the Illinois Reading Council Communicator, May 2007
Problem: Middle and high school students still struggle to read
Most secondary students read below grade level. According to the latest NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores, 71% of 8th graders and 65% of 12 graders read below grade level. Poor literacy skills mean that students are more likely to drop out of school and are more likely not to succeed in college. Research shows that only 70% of students graduate on time, and only 34% graduate with literacy skills needed to do well in college.
Secondary students read poorly because their teachers are not trained to teach literacy and because few resources are directed to secondary schools for literacy. Most people think students learn to read early on and continue to improve. In fact, research shows students literacy skills drop off around fourth grade and stagnate through the rest of school. Further, federal and state policymakers do not invest much in reading for secondary students so that secondary schools do not have the resources to focus on literacy or the time and expertise to train their teachers to use literacy strategies in their teaching. Because high schools don’t prepare students to read and write well, they take remedial reading and writing courses in college, cost the nation $3.7 billion every year.
Solution: Striving Readers can improve literacy, graduation rates, and college success
Better literacy skills improve achievement in all subjects, including math and science, improve graduation rates, and improve students’ chances of succeeding in college. Striving Readers would improve literacy skills by helping every state, district and school develop comprehensive literacy plans that ensure every student reads and writes on grade level. Striving Readers would also train teachers to use assessments and literacy strategies to help struggling readers, train leaders to support teachers, and provide reading materials for schools that lack them.
Striving Readers Act of 2007
Sponsored by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-=AL) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).
What are the basics of the Striving Readers bill?
- Purpose: To improve student achievement and high school graduation and college readiness rates for middle and high school students by establishing literacy initiatives.
- Grants: 5 year grants to states on a formula basis. States award grants competitively to districts. Districts, in turn, provide funds to schools with the greatest need.
- States: States create statewide literacy programs, help improve teacher training and professional development , and track student progress and share that data with the public.
- Districts: Create literacy programs that help schools target help to students significantly behind, provide reading materials for adolescents, provide professional development for teachers in core academic subjects, offer extra time and help for students who need it, and use assessments to inform teaching. In doing so schools ensure they address needs of special education and English Language Learner students.
LDA Newsbriefs, March/April 2007 – LDA Washington Update, p. 17
Adolescent Literacy
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) reintroduced The Pathways For All Students To Succeed Act (PASS; S 611) which would provide critical resources including literacy and math coaches, additional academic and career counselors, and grants to fund innovative reform in high schools across the country.
Senators Patty Murracy (D-WA) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced plans to introduce the Striving Readers Act which would provide grants to every state for reading comprehension programs to meet the needs of students in grades four through twelve.
Excerpt from:
PHI DELTA KAPPAN, April 2007 – Accelerating the Learning of Low-Achieving Students: by Christine Finnan and Gene Chasin, p. 626
“National high school graduation rates hover between 68% and 71%, indicating that about one-third of all high school students drop out.”
