After an article published last year in Charleston's Post and Courier revealed that nearly one in five students entering ninth grade could not read above a fourth grade level, the Charleston School District decided to take action. Making literacy a top priority, they implemented various programs and ideas in an attempt to address this important issue.
Different kinds of programs popped up across the district. Partnerships were created with the College of Charleston and the Citadel, with graduates and undergraduates received credit for assisting in low-income schools, providing extra teaching for students who needed help in reading. A sixth-grade academy was also opened for students who were below reading level. Students in the academy spent extra time at school, had 2 mandatory tutoring sessions a week, and took both a reading intervention and a math intervention class. Literacy specialists were hired at some high schools, and a literacy plan was approved for this coming school year.
The changes seem to be working. A recent article in the Post and Courier stated that the district has seen a drop in the number of students who are at or below a fourth grade reading level, with the numbers being one in seven now instead of one in five. The district plans to continue to track this progress to ensure that the new literacy tactics are working.
What do you think? Could we implement some of the same programs and plans into Lancaster County schools? If so, what? Or do you have another idea that you think could help? What can we do to improve literacy in the Lancaster area?
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