Editorial: Literacy should be a priority

Monday, Nov. 20, 2000 | 10:48 a.m.

It is promising that the Clark County School Board last week gave a green light to school district administrators, telling them to explore ways to expand a literacy program that is supposed to make sure students can read by the time they complete the third grade. As the Sun's Terry Webster reported Friday, administrators would like to boost the program's budget by nearly $7 million over four years to pay for an increase in staffing, reading materials, training for teachers and other resources.

The dropout rate in this state is abysmal; 22 percent of Nevadans don't have a high school diploma. Decent-paying jobs in the casino industry, which don't require a high school diploma, contribute highly to the dropout rate. But Agustin Orci, assistant superintendent for elementary education, notes that the dropout rate also is driven by students who simply can't read.

We can talk all we want about the need to have the latest technology in schools, including computers, but if children don't acquire the basic skills, including the ability to read, they likely will be left behind. For that matter, the Nevada Legislature should reassess whether funding is sufficient in the lower grades to ensure that children learn how to read.

The schools can't do it alone, however. As is the case with many of the problems with our educational system, unless parents are sufficiently involved -- and that includes encouraging them to read at home, too -- then there is only so much that our schools can accomplish. The bottom line is that there is no other option -- more should be done by all to improve the reading skills of children.