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Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency Affects the Economy |
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The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released a Kids Count special report on the role of early reading success in our nation's economic security. The 62-page report identifies the end of third grade as a critical milestone in reading proficiency that will predict the future success of an individual and the country as a whole. "Millions of American children get to fourth grade without learning to read proficiently. And that puts them on the dropout track," the report asserts. What does that mean for the nation? The authors contend, "Every student who does not complete high school costs our society an estimated $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes, and productivity." Parental income is also a high predictor of reading proficiency. In 2007, Michigan reanked 7th from the bottom in NAEP scale equivalent scores for the state grade 4 reading standards for proficient performance. Massachusetts ranked #1 on the same scale. |
