I teach 10th grade English at an amazing school. It is one of a dying number of schools in our state that serves a high needs community without admission restriction. It is a vital piece to the notion that ALL people deserve a free and high quality education. However, despite the fact that my school is full of wonderful students and dedicated teachers, we struggle to fund the basic needs of our students.
My school represents the discouraging side of one of the most profound educational gaps in the country. Most students come to my class with a reading level that is more than 3 years behind those of their peers in many neighboring cities. Several of my students read below a fifth grade level. As an English teacher, I attempt to support my students with their abilities to write and to analyze texts. However, there is nothing more important to their success than getting them to a reading level on par with other students their age. Naturally, years of frustration and bad experience with reading makes this an intimidating and daunting task for them. Many have given up on ever being a proficient or even basic reader, others try but but are unable to bridge that significant gap. A person's reading level has influence on every aspect of his or her life from SATs to jobs to signing a contract. If my students are not able to increase their reading levels significantly, their post high school options will be sadly diminished.
My students need access to a large variety of books. Because of the huge range of reading abilities and interests in my classes, the books need to range in difficulty as well as topics. Once I can help students find a book that is at the right level to help them excel and that engages their interests enough to stick with it, I will start to see increases in reading levels very quickly. When students become better readers, their analysis and writing skills will follow close behind. Reading is really the key to success in nearly every other aspect of academics.
My average student's reading level is slightly under that of a 7th grader. If my students can increase their reading scores by 2 years each year between now and when they graduate, they will be reading on or above the level of their peers across the country. By donating to my cause, your are setting dozens of young adults down the right path toward success. However, they are in 10th grade, if they do not become engaged in reading very soon, they may not have enough time to cover the ground that they need to cover.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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