In a recent report, The New York Times has shed light on a concerning issue: a significant number of New York school children are struggling with reading. According to the report, the state is lagging behind the rest of the country in addressing this issue, with fourth-grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress test declining at twice the national average. In major cities like Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, up to 80% of students are failing annual reading tests, while in New York City, less than half are passing.
While this may not be news to those who have been paying attention, it is disheartening to see that the state education policy officials have not made improving reading skills a top priority. Other states, as well as New York City under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams and Chancellor David Banks, have taken proactive steps to address this problem by prioritizing phonics instruction, which research has shown to be the most effective method for helping children learn to read. However, the Board of Regents and the State Education Department seem more concerned with protecting teachers from consequences and pushing students through the system quickly, regardless of how much they have actually learned.
It is crucial to note that the fourth-grade reading statistic is significant because children who do not acquire basic reading skills by this point are more likely to face lifelong challenges such as dropping out of school, living in poverty, and ending up in jail. The main issue is that for years, educators across the nation, including those in New York, have embraced a teaching approach that downplays phonics in favor of the less effective “balanced literacy” approach advocated by experts like Lucy Calkins from Columbia University. As a result, countless children have missed out on building a solid foundation in reading from an early age.
Fortunately, there has been some progress in addressing this issue in New York City. Under the leadership of Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks, there has been a renewed emphasis on phonics instruction and other measures to improve reading skills. However, on a statewide level, very little has been done due to the misplaced priorities of the Board of Regents and the State Education Department. Many school districts continue to use reading instruction methods that have been scientifically proven to be ineffective. Governor Kathy Hochul has also failed to take action, relying instead on increased school funding as a solution, despite the fact that spending more on failed methods is unlikely to yield better outcomes.
It is disheartening to see that the primary concern of Governor Hochul and other politicians is not how well students are learning, but rather how much money the state is spending. This may explain why New York consistently has the highest per-student spending in the country, while achieving only mediocre results. We have been raising awareness about this issue for years, and we can only hope that The New York Times continues to shine a light on the reading crisis in New York, pushing state leaders to acknowledge the damage and take meaningful action to prioritize education.
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