As students continue to fall behind in reading proficiency in the American education system, some teachers are pleading with parents to help fix the problem.
Why It Matters
After the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers noted a stark drop in reading and math scores among students of all ages.
While the average math score for eighth-grade students hasn't changed since 2022, reading scores fell two points for fourth- and eighth-graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress' (NAEP) most recent exam.
What To Know
The last time the NAEP administered fourth- and eighth-grade students on math and reading, scores were still far behind pre-pandemic levels, showing little improvement since students returned to in-person learning.
The NAEP found only two-thirds of American fourth-graders can read with proficiency. And in eighth grade, a mere 31 percent were deemed proficient.
The low literacy levels have some teachers pleading with parents to become more involved in their children's educations.
"A lot of my students read very well below grade level, and so I need help from other parents to help work with their kids outside of school to reinforce the things that I'm teaching in school," TikToker and Florida seventh-grade teacher L.S. Gabriel Hannans said in a video.
"Something as small as reading to your child for 30 minutes a day is so insurmountable you can't do it, but you'll be on your TikTok for 30 minutes a day."
Data has consistently shown that parent involvement is pivotal in children's learning outcomes. Despite this, some parents have spoken up against teachers like Hannans, putting the blame on the education system and individual teachers.
"You can point fingers and blame who you want, but the reality is these children cannot read on grade level," Hannans said. "We are having to dumb down curriculum to get these kids to where they need to be, and they're not getting there."
Ryan Trattner, the co-founder of AI learning platform StudyFetch, told Newsweek that for many Gen Z and Gen Alpha students, reading is seen as boring.
"Attention spans have drastically dropped, and it's becoming increasingly difficult for children to sustain reading even for a singular page," Trattner said. "The best way to learn reading is to just read books, but kids just aren't doing that."
What Is The Average Reading Level In The U.S.?
The impact of low reading levels can be long-lasting in America.
One in five U.S. adults have low literacy levels, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That equates to 43 million adults.
And according to the National Literacy Institute, 54 percent of adults have a literacy level below sixth grade.
Where Is The U.S. Ranked In Literacy?
The United States doesn't rank high globally when it comes to literacy, coming in 36th place, according to the World Population Review.
Other countries like Finland, Greenland and Norway ranked far higher, with 100 percent literacy rates.
What People Are Saying
National Education Association President Becky Pringle told Newsweek: "When considering student success, NAEP scores are just one piece of the puzzle. We care just as much, if not more, about students' love of learning, opportunities to explore their interests, and their well-being—whether they're fed, safe, and supported. Test scores should never be the sole measure of success."
Ryan Trattner, the co-founder of AI learning platform StudyFetch, told Newsweek: "When our students fall behind in STEM and literacy, we are failing to set them up for success in life and the workforce. I believe that every single student deserves an opportunity to succeed and it is our duty to make that happen. As a nation we risk losing our edge in technological innovation and weakening our economic competitiveness, which also damages every single one of us. This is an issue every single person should care extremely deeply about."
HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "It's easy to blame parents for low reading proficiency, but that's just another way to ignore the real problem: systemic failures in education funding, policy and priorities. The U.S. loves to pretend it values education, yet we underpay teachers, overstuff classrooms and cut critical literacy programs while shoveling billions into standardized testing that does nothing to actually teach kids how to read."
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "It's always difficult in situations like these to find a way that doesn't involve pointing fingers. Clearly, there are plenty of difficulties with getting reading skills reinforced outside of school by parents. At the same time, not all schools are innocent in discovering the best strategies to assist students struggling with literacy skills and how to better serve them. For decades, the American education system relied on a strong foundation of teachers and parents working together to ensure a student's needs were being met."
What Happens Next
Pringle said that moving forward, the country will have to deal with these shortages as they have sparked even worse literacy levels.
"Policymakers must address educator shortages, invest in teacher recruitment and retention, and support public schools with resources, mental health services, smaller class sizes and a well-rounded curriculum," Pringle said. "We cannot test our way out of inequities—resources must be directed where they're needed most."
However, if the education system cannot bridge that gap, there could be severe consequences for the workforce and America's influence on a global scale.
"Unfortunately, that [education] system has broken down, and calls to action on social media by both sides haven't produced anything other than adult resentment and, worst of all, poorer reading skills for students over time," Beene said. "And if we can't find more middle ground between guardians and educators, the worst may still be yet to come."
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