Posted on 01/08/2015 7:56:31 AM PST by grundle
Renaissance Learning found that the average book assigned for summer reading at college has a seventh-grade reading level.
Most college textbooks and reading material written before 1970 require mature reading skills according to Arkansas Prof. Emerita Sandra Stotsky.
The average U.S. college freshman reads at a seventh grade level, according to an educational assessment report.
“We are spending billions of dollars trying to send students to college and maintain them there when, on average, they read at about the grade 6 or 7 level, according to Renaissance Learning’s latest report on what American students in grades 9-12 read, whether assigned or chosen,” said education expert Dr. Sandra Stotsky.
Stotsky, a Professor Emerita at the University of Arkansas, served on the Common Core Validation Committee in 2009-10, during which she called the standards “inferior.” She claimed the Common Core left out the very standards needed to prepare students for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers.
“The average reading level for five of the top seven books assigned as summer reading by 341 colleges using Renaissance Learning’s readability formula was rated 7.56 [meaning halfway through seventh grade],” Stotsky told Breitbart Texas.
The study also found that most high school graduates don’t do much with mathematics past eighth-grade compared to students in other high-achieving countries.
In addition, the lack of “difficulty and complexity” found in high school reading material is indicative of what colleges can assign to students once they enter higher education and professors aren’t requiring incoming students read at a college level.
“Nor are [colleges] sending a signal to the nation’s high schools that high school level reading is needed for college readiness,” said Stotsky. “Indeed, they seem to be suggesting that a middle school level of reading is satisfactory, even though most college textbooks and adult literary works written before 1970 require mature reading skills.”
Stotsky claims that reading development starts in elementary school and acknowledges the importance of a student’s willingness to practice reading outside the classroom.
She adds that despite societal changes over the past 100 years, both male and female students have continued to read the same type of material as past generations. Girls tend to gravitate towards books about relationships and animals, while boys enjoy adventure stories, military exploits, superheroes, and historical nonfiction.
“For almost 100 years, there have been many surveys in this country of what children prefer to read. Despite changes in immigration patterns, family literacy, and cultural influences, what boys and girls like to read has been relatively stable,” said Stotsky.
According to Breitbart Texas, Stotsky is credited with creating the strongest set of k-12 academic standards in the country while working for the Massachusetts Department of Education, and is responsible for developing licensure tests for prospective teachers.
I ran the overnight operations at a Wal-Mart and I found that a good number of our stockers were functionally illiterate. They could not read the labels of what they were stocking and were putting things based on where they thought they went. As a consequence we had to honor the price at checkout and we had a lot of mistakes.
Get your children out of the public schools (government indoctrination centers) - Now!
LMAO!
I think what you're referring to has to do with the fact that our public school system is not [primarily] about education.
Disconnect wifi and video games, that is a start.
Er... what is the Department of Education?
The goal of the left has always been to dumb down the students.
From some brief research on Common Core, it seems that one of the instigators of it was one Janet Napolitano, former HSD Sec, former AZ gov, now head of the U of Cal system, and possible Dem candidate for 2016.
and the cell phones.
My teacher stopped by my desk, saw what I was reading and asked me to stay after class. I thought I was in trouble.
She had me read out loud to her and then took my to the library and informed the librarian that I was to be allowed free range privileges.
It was an elementary school library so it only had books suitable for up to sixth grade but it opened up a world to me.
The Dept. of Education does (yet) not have control over state education standards. Common Core was initiated by the National Governors Association and something called the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
Of course, what’s at stake is A LOT of Federal Money going to the states, distributed by the DOE
Think of it as Obamacare for Education. How does one go about creating of Federal control over things that were once solely private or local government decisions?
California. There’s a bastion of academic excellence, for sure.
My 9 year old granddaughter is in 4th grade and reads at least at a 7th grade level - her Mom spends a lot of time with her children and enforces study along with fostering intelligent interaction. This is in S. MS so it isn't due to exorbitant "White Privilege" as far as school choices go. We can blame the schools but they and the teachers who staff them only get away with crappy education at the will of the "parents" who allow bad teachers and who don't discipline their own children.
Agree one more step toward dumbing down a nation.
I remember the 7th grade.
In my class many read at the college level.
Things have really changed.
I recently looked at a test from the late 19th century that 6th graders were expected to pass. It left me wondering how many current college grads could pass it.
We need to concentrate on the fundamentals in school.
” California. There’s a bastion of academic excellence, for sure.”
At least the Cal teachers union removed Saul Alinsky from their “must read” list on their website : )
I hear you. I tested at 12th grade when I was in sixth. As a class, we read “The Count of Monte Cristo.” That was nearly 50 years ago.
Same thing happened to me in the 3rd grade, my Mom gave the same answer.
My 8 year old grandson reads at the 12th grade level. No, he does not understand all the references but he is keeping all the adults in his life busy answering his questions. When he started the school year in a new school in a gifted program they tested him before they would let him check out the books he wanted to read. He was so put out with all the testing.
Average. A measure of central tendency. Means there those who read BELOW a 7th grade level.
And I’ve had them in classes!!
This way we can match the illegals Obama is bringing in.
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