THE CRISES:

• 66% OF AMERICAN 4TH GRADE STUDENTS ARE BELOW PROFICIENT IN READING*
• 54% OF ADULTS IN THE US HAVE A LITERACY BELOW THE 6TH GRADE LEVEL.**
• ⅔ OF STUDENTS WHO CANNOT READ PROFICIENTLY BY THE END OF 4TH GRADE WILL END UP IN JAIL OR ON WELFARE***

(*NAEP Assessment Measures 2022 (Right to Read Film, 2023)  **ThinkImpact.com, November 2023.  ***Begintoread.com)

We are facing an enormous sub-literacy and illiteracy crisis in our nation and our community. There are millions of children and adults whose struggle with reading impacts their dignity and quality of life, with dire ramifications for the economy, healthcare and incarceration.

THE GOOD NEWS:

The good news is that we have the instructional tools and the knowledge to address this issue. “The question remains, do we have the political will…and the moral courage…to use literacy as a vehicle to include all?” (Right to Read Film, 2023).