“Addressing the Critical Issue of Education in Solving Societal Problems”

2017 — Marla Fernandez-Benavides

Last night, I attended the mayoral debates in my state. The issues up for debate included transportation, homelessness, downtown parking, and affordable housing. These are all significant problems in our state. However, the one issue that could genuinely address these problems was not on the table: education.

If we are to focus on real solutions, education is where we need to direct our attention.

Here’s the latest national average for reading proficiency, which brings some good news. It has improved. But there’s still work to be done. Regarding reading performance:

• The average 4th-grade reading score in 2017 (222) was higher than the average score in 1992 (217) but not significantly different from the average score in 2015, the last year the assessment was administered. At the 8th-grade level, the average reading score in 2017 (267) was higher than the scores in both 1992 (260) and 2015 (265).

• 37 percent of 4th graders performed at or above the Proficient level, and 9 percent performed at the Advanced level.

So, what does it mean that 9% performed at the advanced level? Does it suggest that these 9% are truly proficient while the remaining 37% have mastered reading but aren’t considered proficient?

Here’s another truth:

• 36 percent of 8th graders performed at or above Proficient, and 4 percent performed at the Advanced level.

What does it mean that 36% of 8th graders performed at or above proficient levels, but only 4% performed at advanced levels? I believe it means that 36% of 8th graders have mastered reading, but only 4% are proficient at reading skills.

These numbers are still low. It’s unacceptable that 74%—an entire class of students—read at an average to below-average proficiency level by 8th grade. It’s disheartening that 96% of 8th graders lack the skills to read well enough to logically analyze what they read and make sense of the world around them.

So my question is this: upon high school graduation, how many of these students will be ready to 1. work and thrive at work? 2. head to college or pursue a trade or professional degree? And 3. how many of these students will be homeless, in prison, or reliant on public assistance?

In 2015, approximately 72 percent of 12th-grade students performed at or above Basic in reading, 37 percent performed at or above Proficient, and 6 percent performed at the Advanced level.

Thus, in 2015, the majority of the population performed at an average or below-average proficiency level.

I graduated in 1992. How have Hispanic students fared today compared to when I graduated?

From 1992 through 2017, the average reading score for White 4th-graders was higher than those of their Black and Hispanic peers.

The White-Hispanic gap in 2017 (23 points) was not significantly different from the White-Hispanic gap in 1992.

Fourth graders who scored below the proficient reading level, categorized by race in the United States:

According to this site, most students of all races, except Asians and Pacific Islanders, scored below proficiency in reading.

Now that I’ve provided you with some statistics to help you grasp the issue, I’d like to discuss a potential solution.

Here’s one idea: a liberal education could solve the literacy problems in our nation. We would focus on the three R’s (reading, writing, and arithmetic) in elementary school. Each teacher would have the flexibility to implement this curriculum based on the needs of their students.

We wouldn’t advance students until they have mastered and are proficient in these fundamental skills.

We may never completely eradicate poverty, but we can provide every child, regardless of their background, with the opportunity to take control of their future by offering instruction in the three R’s.