Underscoring reading needs

Educators have not identified specific reasons for the discouraging drop in state exit exam scores of Lowcountry students. But it is logical to conclude that students won't score well when they read at grade levels far below where they should.

There could well be other reasons for the poorer showing -- budget cuts at school, financial hardship at home or the alignment of the stars -- and it is important for educators to determine what those reasons are and to address them.

But even so, there is no question that it is imperative for students to read at grade level.

In Charleston County, where 76.1 percent of sophomores passed both the English and math exams (down from 80.8 last year), the school board and administration appropriately have made literacy the top educational priority.

In a district where nearly 20 percent of ninth-graders read at a fourth grade level or worse, those efforts must be swift and intense.

The board also has called for a policy outlining requirements regarding students' reading ability to ensure that the problem does not drag on from year to year.

There had been discussion about requiring students to read at grade level before promoting them. The policy that will be presented to the board doesn't go that far. Instead, it would require students whose reading is inadequate to attend special classes. Students who don't participate will not be promoted.

The policy might be considered too tough by some educators who cite research finding that children who are retained do not benefit academically and are more apt to drop out of school.

On the other hand, promoting a student to sure failure makes no sense. Superintendent Nancy McGinley said that by promoting those students, "We're not doing them any favors."

Should the board approve this policy, it will face the question of funding reading programs -- an amount not yet determined. That could be a daunting task during such difficult economic times, but the board would be failing its constituents if it should ignore the literacy problem for want of an easy answer.

The board, while divided, recently signaled its confidence in Dr. McGinley by extending her contract and voting to raise her base salary and award her a bonus. Following through on the district's literacy goals will be a good opportunity for the superintendent to earn that extra pay.

There is no educational goal more important than teaching students to read, and there is no time to waste in ensuring that happens.