The Literacy Crisis In Our Schools

“Can you learn me to read?” this middle-aged white gentleman asked me.

His questioned stunned me, and I didn’t quite know how to answer his question. I was the Project Coordinator for a tutorial program “Juntos Podemos-Together, We Can” at a local library. We operated year-round and targeted youth ages 3-18, but I would occasionally tutor adults if they needed assistance in college courses or GED preparation. However, his request was out of my wheelhouse. Frankly, I was intimidated, and it was my first time meeting an adult who admitted not being able to read.

Where would I begin? How do you teach an adult to read? What resources do you use?

I’ve often wondered what happened to that man. Instead of attempting to teach him how to read, I referred him to an adult education provider.

But he was an anomaly, right?

Your Vote Impacts Education: Make it a Good One

This election cycle has been anything but ordinary. With all the noisy chatter, partisanship, and rhetoric, there’s one topic that’s been noticeably quiet: EDUCATION. President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015 which empowers states and school districts to develop their own strategies for improving student performance and ensuring their success in the 21^st century.

That’s Great! Yet there's not much discussion from our presidential candidates concerning the current state of education or solutions to improve it.