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Many students struggle with reading in secondary education. By eighth grade, 70% of students are not proficient readers, so what can schools do about this?

During the edLeader Panel “The Secondary Literacy Crisis: Why Reading Scores Are Falling—and How to Fix It,” Dr. Donna Wright, Retired Superintendent and Education Consultant, talked with Dr. Anthony Smith, Deputy Superintendent at Denver Public Schools (CO), Dr. Zandra Jo Galván, Superintendent at Salinas Union High School District (CA), and Dr. Glenda Sheffield, Superintendent at Hampton County School District (SC), about tackling secondary literacy challenges with actionable solutions.

When it comes to literacy, older students are often overlooked because, by the time they reach secondary grade levels, they have communication skills that let them compensate for a lack of reading skills. Teachers don’t realize there is an issue until students can’t demonstrate an understanding of reading materials.

Schools must conduct data analysis to determine root causes for students’ reading difficulties and how to intervene. This includes looking at the reading situation at home, such as text accessibility, reading experiences, and past reading difficulties. Also, reading materials need auditing to ensure they’re highly engaging and at appropriate Lexile levels.

Furthermore, secondary educators should be provided with professional development on how to teach fundamental literacy. Since that’s usually taught at the lower grade levels, secondary educators may struggle to understand how to teach it.

Chronic absenteeism, students from low-income families, English learners, and students with special needs all factor into secondary literacy challenges, and can even appear together in a single student. For example, coming from a low-income household might lead to a student being chronically absent, or an English learner might also have a learning disability. Each factor cannot be addressed in isolation.

Additionally, there are national and local factors at play. Chronic absenteeism could be connected to the fear of ICE raids at school. Schools must engage with the community to find ways to build a love of reading and meet students where they are. A big part of this is recognizing that everyone learns at different rates, and that’s okay. Differentiated instruction is key, so teachers need support in that area, too.

Professional development must have educator buy-in and be differentiated based on their strengths and weaknesses. Teachers have students coming in with foundational gaps that they did not necessarily expect to teach; they need to be part of the conversation regarding the support they need for such instructional shifts.

And, teachers should not feel as though the data is being weaponized against them. Let them be learners who work together and support each other. When they see the data and have chances to experiment with content, it lets them own the curriculum.

It’s important to reinforce that reading is a lifelong skill requiring development. Give students reasons to read by tying it into their passions and reinforcing that teachers believe in them. Bring joy into literacy to build a love of it and show students that they’re not “struggling readers,” but “developing readers.” When teachers identify gaps in student knowledge, they can put together small groups of students with similar needs. Also valuable are high doses of interventions to give repeated practice at appropriate levels.

As education trends shift, reading must remain a priority. By prioritizing early literacy programs and engaging families, schools ensure students have the necessary skills when they reach secondary education. Involving families helps students build a love of reading. Demonstrate to families that learning starts at home. Don’t chastise them for students’ lack of literacy skills; instead, provide them with the resources they need to support their kids. Community partners can also help to motivate and rally behind students.

While a literacy gap in secondary education exists, there is hope. With the right support and encouragement for teachers and students, schools can help kids grow and develop the reading skills they need to succeed both in secondary education and life beyond school.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, The Secondary Literacy Crisis: Why Reading Scores Are Falling—and How to Fix It, sponsored by Really Great Reading.

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Article by Jon Scanlon, based on this edLeader Panel