Helping all children master the basics,
including reading and math
Information and Facts
Learning to read well and independently by the end of the third grade is essential for all further learning. Demonstrating an understanding of challenging mathematics--including elements of algebra and geometry--by the end of eighth grade is crucial for college preparation and productive employment. All students must gain mastery of basic skills, and it is particularly important for schools and communities to focus on helping students at risk of academic failure and limited English proficient students, who often fall behind early and find it difficult to catch up in the later grades. In today's economy almost every high school student should be taking all the core courses for college, and planning to take Advanced Placement and/or tech-prep courses their junior and senior years in high school. Getting ahead in the 21st century will require four years of math, science, and English, at least two to three years of a second language, and knowledge of the arts, geography, history, as well as computers.
Forty percent of 4th-graders in America do not read at the basic level on challenging reading assessments such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
U.S. 4th-graders score above the international average in math, 8th-graders score below the average, and 12th-graders rank only above Cypress and South Africa.
Algebra is the "gateway" to the more advanced math and science that prepares students for the college and, increasingly, for careers of all kinds. Only one in four students study algebra in the eighth grade.
| Ideas for and Examples of Events and Partnerships |
Host a read-in at schools. Invite parents, police officers, high school and college students, business people, the mayor, and any community member to bring their favorite children's book to read to a class.
Start or support a local reading program. Schools can join the America Reads Challenge, the President's call to action to help every child learn to read well and independently by the end of the third grade, by launching or publicizing a reading tutoring program with community volunteers. Contact the financial aid administrator at your local college or university campus to find federal work-study students who could help. Building on work done over the last two years, the U.S. Department of Education has established at least one AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: READ*WRITE*NOW! pilot site in every state. These sites are forming community-based reading programs for pre-school children and/or for elementary-aged children. For more information about the pilot sites, call 1-800-USA-LEARN or visit www.ed.gov/inits/americareads/.
Invite parents to the first in a series of math preview/review nights. Many parents want to help their children with homework, yet they aren't sure how. By reviewing math concepts and showing simple techniques, teachers can give parents the confidence and knowledge they need to help students with more advanced math. Later in the year, hold a math-off in which students and parents team up to solve math problems.
Equity 2000. In 1990, the College Board launched Equity 2000 to increase minority enrollment in college preparatory mathematics courses. In Equity 2000 districts, general math was phased out and all students are required to take advanced math courses, beginning with algebra and geometry. Extensive professional development for teachers and administrators and increased parental involvement are high priorities for the program. For more information, visit http://www.collegeboard.org/sls/equity/html/equity.html.
Link up with a local arts organization or museum. Look for ways that local arts organizations or museums could partner with your school to help promote reading and math. Have your students read a play and then go see a local performance of it. Look for museum exhibits that use math concepts to help explain history or science.
Resources to Help The following publications are available free of charge, as long as copies are available, from the U.S. Department of Education by calling 1-877-4ED-PUBS or on the Internet at www.ed.gov.
The following publications are available by calling the National Library of Education at 1-800-424-1616.
Current, New and Proposed Resources from the U.S. Department of Education
Call 1-800-USA LEARN for more information on any of the following programs.
