Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

All over the nation, schools have seen a decline in literacy rates among students, but Oregon has seen the steadiest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic. School closures and remote learning due to the pandemic made learning to read much more difficult for students, especially among disadvantaged youth.

In a 2023 study done among students in the Beaverton School District, 61% of third graders and 54% of seventh graders were found to be below proficient in reading. Nationwide only 46% of students were found to be proficient in reading.

Neurological research from more than 20 years ago about the proper way to teach children to read has garnered more attention recently, but the study suggests schools’ failure to teach reading using scientifically backed methods is a key factor for low test scores. 

This year’s scores on the only achievement test to represent a sample of students from every state also showed dismal results: only one of every three eighth-graders was proficient in reading. However, there have been plenty of issues found within Oregon’s reading curriculum that might be at fault for these low test scores.

“There isn’t a single reason for declining literacy rates but rather many factors contributing to it,” said Western education professor Tiffany K. Smith. “The assessments that are used to determine students’ levels of literacy are simply snapshots. They often do not reflect students’ actual literacy abilities. For example, they are timed (for consistency) and often students need more processing time. Sometimes students blow through the assessment just to get it over with. Sometimes students don’t understand directions or the questions and it can’t be further explained by the test administrator.”  

For one, the state’s standards have not been revised since 2019, meaning the standards are based on pre-pandemic learning. Secondly, the Common Core Standards, which were adopted by 41 states and four territories in 2010, focus mostly on what students need to know to be prepared for college. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of October 2023, only 61.4% of recent graduates were enrolled either part-time or full-time at a two-year or four-year university. Yet schools in Oregon continue to push the Common Core Standards in classrooms and schools. 

Even worse, Common Core Standards don’t follow the curriculum that teachers are supposed to use in their classrooms, government-appointed education experts do, and in Oregon, every one of the 197 school districts is given the ability to adopt their own core curriculum.

The Oregon Department of Education — ODE — has a list of approved curricula for school districts to adopt for teaching reading and writing. Districts who wish to deviate from this list must ensure that they choose a curriculum that includes the teaching of phonics and phonemic awareness, but face no penalty if they deviate from the ODE list and are not required to tell the state they have done so.

Many parents point the blame at the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, or NCLB, which placed consequences on schools based on students’ standardized testing scores. A study that followed a 1998-1999 kindergarten class through completion of high school found that the enactment of NCLB and the Every Student Succeeds Act that followed it have had an impact on children’s socioemotional outcomes. 

The study, which was finally published in 2017, found that the NCLB had a negative impact on students’ test-taking anxiety, which has only worsened recently. 

However, there is both good and bad news for the state of student literacy. In an executive report — The State of the American Student: Fall 2024 — published by Arizona State University’s Teachers College, statistics and a path forward were found, which teachers and school districts could follow to improve student literacy. 

The good news is that students and teachers are showing signs of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a 30-state survey, students have regained about a third of their pandemic-era learning losses and a quarter of their reading. School districts are pushing for more tutoring, high-quality curricula and extended learning times, in an effort for them to become more permanent in learning. 

The bad news is that recovery is slow and uneven among students of different backgrounds and school districts. While there has been an upward trend in the recovery that students have experienced, they are not even halfway to a full academic recovery. For students with little time left in the K-12 system, this slow rate of academic recovery is bad news. But even the so-called “COVID Babies” are entering kindergarten less prepared for grade-level learning than pre-pandemic students. 

Additionally, eight out of ten teachers say they find teaching overwhelming and have complained about inadequate support in the classroom. Lack of funding for districts and chronic absenteeism — defined as students missing at least 10% of school days — has also worsened these problems. 

One of the most important factors emerging from the pandemic was parents being unprepared to become educators for their children. Parents of students with disabilities found it difficult to provide their children with the proper services, and disadvantaged students often lacked the proper technology to be able to access online learning. 

Some states are searching for solutions to combat declining literacy and teacher fatigue. In Salem, Massachusetts, one middle school reduced absenteeism and increased achievement by making school more engaging and fun with more field trips, hands-on learning opportunities and personalized instruction. One student said, “It’s actually making me excited to go to 

school. It’s just like a happier version of school.”

The State of the American Student: Fall 2024 recommends prioritizing relationships between teachers and students, having a partnership with parents that is central to the education system and ensuring that the best strategies reach the children who need them. The report also suggests school districts get involved with policymakers and advocates to help hold institutions accountable for meeting their obligations to all students — especially those who are most vulnerable. 

“We are still seeing the effects of COVID and long-term stress and trauma on students and their families,” Smith said. “This prolonged stress and trauma has research-based effects on literacy rates.”

The first goal for teachers and school administrators is to reengage students and parents in learning. From there, they will have the ability to gain more post-pandemic academic recovery, especially in the areas of mathematics and literacy. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu