Summer Faupel English 111 12 November 2013 The Right to Literacy As a dual enrollment student in high school, I have

proven that I am a very capable learner. A part of this knowledge obtained from learning includes my ability to read and comprehend text. I have been a fortunate student my 12 years in school. I have acquired the ability to learn easily when I am taught in detail. Not every individual in America has been so fortunate. Millions of Americans still today do not know how to read and/or comprehend the text that is put in front of them. There are many students who do not know how to read above elementary school levels, whom are still receiving high school diplomas and being sent to college. How are illiterate adult Americans supposed to successfully complete college when they lack the knowledge on literacy? The final question: Why are high schools still granting illiterate students diplomas? I do not believe this problem is announced enough to publicly raise an eyebrow to the fact that Americans who cannot read are still being granted high school diplomas and being sent off to college. Because of this, I have never personally heard anothers view on the subject of adult illiteracy. This problem affects any family of an illiterate student being persuaded into the act of going to college. If a student is unable to properly read and comprehend text, he or she will fail college. It is absolutely necessary to be able to have the ability of reading and comprehending materials given. Illiteracy, in todays age, is most referred to as adults who barely know how to read. These adults can recognize letters, read few words, sign their name, and fill out a date on

paperwork perhaps. The adults who truly cannot read a single word or recognize a single letter are very rare; scholars tend to refer to them as low-literate adults. 60 years ago, illiteracy was tied to the fact that some people purely just lacked the proper education growing up (Fertig). Today with our countrys strict schooling laws relating to children, it is very rare that a child slips through the cracks and is not given a chance to education. There are many laws allowing every single growing child and adolescent to receive a proper grade school through high school education. The problem of illiteracy is now mostly being tied to learning disabilities in students. These have proven to give evidence of the cognitive reasons behind why a person is unable to read and comprehend at an average level. The main problem I am discussing is the fact that illiterate students are still being allowed to graduate high school. 19% of the United States population that graduates from high school cannot read (U.S. Department of Education). Not only are they being granted high school diplomas, but they are also being pushed to attend college afterwards. My very own college experience gives proof that illiterate students provide almost no chance of success in college. The texts given for students to read by themselves are challenging to me and I have been scored as an above-average reader. It seems to be next to impossible to have an illiterate student thrive in a college atmospheric way of teaching and learning. Students who have proven their illiteracy are generally placed into a special education program. Special Education programs in schools are designed for students with learning disabilities. Students enrolled in special education classes are offered a standard high school diploma if they have met the schools requirements. This means that if school faculty believe a student is ready to be graduated, they will let him or her graduate. Once school faculty has belief

that a student has met their requirements, the students parents are notified for permission to graduate their child. According to the U.S. Department of Education, a student who is in special education classes is given the right to receive the same diploma as a student who is not in special education classes. In order to obtain this, permission from the students parents must be granted. If the parents of said student do not feel like their child is adequate enough in their learning, a parent may decline rights to their childs diploma until they see fit. With this being said, although school faculty may decide a student is ready to graduate, no re-evaluation at the end of the school year is provided to make sure of competency. A parent may require re-evaluation before granting graduation permission for their child. Although some special education students receive a normal high school diploma, most do not. It takes hard work from both school faculty, student, and parents to achieve regular graduation standards with a child who has a learning disability related to reading. Reading applies itself to every single school subject. With that being a common fact, anyone can conclude that if a student does not know how to read it will be nearly impossible to be able to reach normal graduation guidelines. Usually students who face the challenge of illiteracy are prepared with an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Without going into full detail of an IEP, it basically offers the student a chance to receive modified credits (Sonya). A student who has achieved enough modified credits will receive a Certificate of Completion diploma instead of the standard high school diploma. A Certificate of Completion is much different than a high school diploma. When granted a Certificate of Completion, there is a list of things that student is not eligible for for the rest of

their lives. This includes going into the armed forces, going to college, or getting a federal loan. This has been put into place according to Bushs No Child Left Behind Act (U.S. Department of Education). Now, if all illiterate students were granted only a Certification of Completion instead of a high school diploma, the problem of illiterates being persuaded into college would not be an issue. This could potentially be a solution to the problem of illiterate students making it into college and failing due to incompetence. Research done by the U.S. Department of Education suggests that there are few illiterate students receiving normal high school diplomas. Most students who perform with illiteracy levels receive the Certification of Completion. As previously mentioned, a student whom receives a Certification of Completion is not eligible for any type of college education. It is highly unlikely an illiterate students meets the graduation requirements set by school faculty in order to receive a normal high school diploma. This has essentially solved the problem of illiterate students ability to go to college. Even with all of this being said, there still are a few illiterate students slipping through the cracks and making it into college. A recent study conducted by American Institute for Research depicts that 30 percent of students in two-year colleges have only basic quantitative literacy skills. This means that they are unable to approximate how far their car has until it runs out of gas getting to the next gas station for example. Another example is the inability to be able to calculate the price of their cart of groceries before checking out. These are simplistic everyday life factors that 30 percent of college students are unable to perform. These statistics are baffling. More than 75 percent of students in two year colleges score below proficiency in literacy examinations, according to Dr. Stefani Baldi. She also later states that the graduates of these two-year colleges all perform at or above proficiency in literacy examinations. This goes to conclude that those who are scoring

below proficiency are the students who are not gradating college. These students are failing college. The research I have collected goes to show that most illiterate students do not make it to college level education. This is due to Certification of Completions being given to them instead of regular high school diplomas. In cases where a quantitative illiterate student makes it past getting their high school diploma and getting into a two-year college, studies show definite evidence that these students do not graduate college. They end up dropping out or failing out. There is no way to ensure that illiterate students do not make it into colleges at all, but restrictions have been put into place for these students ensuring that their education needs and requirements are met individualistically. As they are met individualistically, they are also not to be exceeded into further education. I consider myself to be an extremely lucky student. I was born with the ability to learn and learn well. My test scores and grades prove that I am an above-average student in all subject areas. I am lucky to be able to obtain a normal high school diploma and succeed on into my college career as well. I believe more work should be done with high school students perform at illiterate rates. These students should be able to have the same opportunities in life as I do. In order to receive said opportunities, illiterate students must be able to achieve that high school diploma. This will take a lot of hard work and dedication from school faculty, parents, and the student themselves. Illiteracy can be challenged and the student can be the winner given the opportunity to. The hard work must never settle down to a Certification of Completion unless it is the absolute last resort. In instances where the Certificate of Completion is the last resort, it is still extremely beneficial to the student and students family. This is because the student does not have the chance to go to college. This results in the student also not being able to have the

chance to fail out of college as well. Severe cases of illiteracy cause for Certification of Completion. But I do believe that students with mild illiteracy can beat it and have successful college careers just like myself.

Works Cited "Certificate of Completion vs. High School Diploma." - Urban Legends. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Crum, Madeleine. "The U.S. Illiteracy Rate Hasn't Changed In 10 Years." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 06 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. "Illiteracy Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. "New Study of the Literacy of College Students Finds Some Are Graduating With Only Basic Skills - See More At: Http://www.air.org/expertise/index/index.cfm?fa=viewcontent&content_id=445#sthash. XoPrHO6g.dpuf." American Institutes for Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. "Tamalpais Union." Special Education & 504 / Individual Education Plan (IEP). N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.