| Literacy has always been a problem for school | | | | pass the third grade SOL reading tests, pass the fifth |
| systems throughout the United States. In the past, | | | | grade SOL reading tests. This illustrates the |
| however, the impact was minimal compared to | | | | importance of Virginia schools children being able to |
| today's workplace, which requires an ever-higher level | | | | read at grade level by the end of the third grade. |
| of literacy to achieve success. | | | | Virginia schools' president Mark Emblidge announced in |
| Good reading skills are the foundation for students in | | | | June 2006 the formation of a new committee to |
| any subject. You cannot learn mathematics or | | | | address the problem, consisting of current Virginia |
| science without being able to understand the | | | | schools board members. Isis Castro will chair the |
| textbooks. Such skills also are demanded in the | | | | special committee that will work to enhance |
| workplace. Able readers have a better chance to | | | | prekindergarten through adult literacy. |
| improve their lifestyle over that of their parents by | | | | Their focus is to develop strategies that will raise |
| obtaining well-paying jobs in career fields that would | | | | literacy of children, adolescents and adults within the |
| otherwise not be available to them. Literacy can | | | | Virginia schools and the commonwealth. The points of |
| make the difference between whether a child drops | | | | this focus are:o Increase the number of Virginia |
| out of school or graduates from college. It truly is | | | | schools students reading on grade level by the end |
| the foundation for a decent life. | | | | of the third grade;o Sustain this literacy, as well as |
| Moreover, illiterate or nearly illiterate adults and | | | | instill a love of reading, as students transition from |
| families put a drain on the commonwealth's resources. | | | | elementary to middle to high school;o Help the |
| Businesses that cannot employ well-educated, literate | | | | Limited English Proficient (LEP) students to obtain a |
| workers move their enterprises to other states, | | | | good education by improving their literacy skills; ando |
| where literacy levels for school students are higher; | | | | Strengthen the literacy programs and policies of the |
| thus, giving businesses access to a larger employee | | | | Virginia schools to assist the adult learners. |
| base. Everyone feels the economic impact of a | | | | The first tasks of the committee is to review the |
| society with a low literacy level. | | | | proposed revisions to the commonwealth's Standards |
| Currently in the Commonwealth of Virginia, there are | | | | for English Language Proficiency, and to review and |
| more than one million adults who do not have a high | | | | advise the Virginia schools full board on issues and |
| school diploma or its equivalent. During the 2004-2005 | | | | policy considerations related to the LEP students. |
| school year, more than 25,000 adults with a | | | | Additionally, they will:o Monitor the effectiveness of |
| below-ninth-grade English literacy level were enrolled | | | | the Virginia schools' efforts toward all student |
| in either the Adult Basic Education classes or the | | | | literacy, including the state-level reading programs and |
| English for Speakers of Other Languages programs | | | | initiatives;o Monitor the adult education programs;o |
| within the Virginia schools. | | | | Review all data associated with literacy in the Virginia |
| In 2005, approximately 26 percent of third graders in | | | | schools; ando Advise on issues and recommend |
| the Virginia schools were unable to show proficiency | | | | policies to the full board of the Virginia schools. |
| on the commonwealth's Standards of Learning (SOL) | | | | With the new committee on literacy in place for the |
| reading tests and required subsequent remedial | | | | upcoming school year, the Virginia schools should |
| instruction. Yet, according to a Virginia schools | | | | begin to see an increase in the student's levels of |
| analysis, approximately 95 percent of students, who | | | | reading proficiency. |