Let's Talk New Mexico, 2/1 8am: Child literacy is a problem in New Mexico.The state ranks last in the nation with almost 80% of children not proficient in reading by the fourth grade. This also impacts their ability to apply reading skills to other subjects taught in school. Furthermore, kids who aren鈥檛 reading at grade level by the fourth grade are more likely to drop out of school and less likely to attend college. And, children from low income families, those with disabilities, and children of color are even more at risk.
At the beginning of this year鈥檚 legislative session, Governor Michelle Lujhan Grisham announced a plan to help boost these alarming numbers, urging lawmakers to invest more into structured literacy programs, otherwise called The Science of Reading. Under this program, students learn decoding skills through studying the sound of words, symbols, and knowing syllables among other tools that have proven to be effective for all readers.
On this week鈥檚 Let鈥檚 Talk New Mexico, we鈥檒l discuss how structured literacy would impact our struggling education system. Are you an educator or parent? Do you think structured literacy will boost kids鈥� reading proficiency? Email letstalk@kunm.org, leave a voice message on the web page for the show, or call in live Thursday morning at 8.
Guests:
-Amanda DeBell, Deputy Secretary,
-David Hurford, Executive Director, , Pittsburg State University
-Sara Mickelson, Deputy Secretary,
-Emily Wildau, Senior Research and Policy Analyst/KIDS COUNT Coordinator,
Resources:
