I started public school when I was six years old. That was in 1941. By
the middle of that first year all in the class were reading about Dick
and Jane and Spot and a ball. Granted, it wasn't a text from the Space
Sciences Laboratory at Berkeley, but it was reading none the less. By
the end of my second year in school we had all progressed to the point
that we could read a local news paper and understand all but a few of
the words. We each had a subscription to the "Weekly Ready." (paid for
by our far from effluent parents not the school)  We were required to
read it in its entirety and give a verbal report on a topic there from
every week. The story goes on...

My question for the readers is this: "Why are we seeing such news as I
have pasted below about our public schools today when more than
sixty-five years ago kids could read well before they were 9?"

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THE CRISIS OF CHILD ILLITERACY

In Southern California, four out of five third-graders cannot read at
grade level. Research shows that children who fail to read by the age
of nine rarely catch up later. In many cases, these children may never
be able to realize their full potential or contribute and participate
fully in our society.

In 1998, the Los Angeles Times launched Reading by 9 in Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Reading by 9
is a multi-year campaign aimed at helping kindergarten through
third-grade students read at grade level by the age of nine.

Working with parents, educators, business and civic leaders and
community organizations, The Times is serving as a catalyst to focus
public attention on the crisis of child illiteracy. In addition, The
Times is using its leadership and influence to promote public-private
partnerships to improve children's reading skills.

http://www.latimes.com/extras/readingby9/


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