Op/Ed Piece

EDES 6359

Natalie Lozano

Loyola Marymount University

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My parents used to tell me that I needed to study and work hard, otherwise I should

practice asking people, ‘Would you like fries with that?’ Education, college, and career are not

just important values to my family, but expectations. I was privileged to have gone to schools

and universities where I was prepared to follow my dreams and passions to become an educator

myself. However, not all people are granted that same privilege, especially for students in Los

Angeles public schools. Students attending public and charter schools are performing low in

reading, so much so that high school students are unable to apply to work at fast food restaurants

because they lack fundamental reading skills. Schools have become so focused on college

readiness, that students are getting left behind and are lacking the basic reading skills necessary

to work at a minimum wage paying job. How can we expect students to be successful after high

school if literacy is not being put at the center of instruction?

I believe that yes, California’s public schools are failing their students on literacy. With

technology and innovation growing rapidly in the 21st century in the state of California has

placed an emphasis on incorporating STEM in schools, without realizing that literacy is the

backbone of all instruction. Science and other content area text books are often written two grade

levels above the grade level the book is intended for. Students are unable to read to learn if they

haven’t learned how to read. Strong literacy programs need to be provided for all California

public schools in order to meet the needs of the students in Los Angeles

The article mentioned that out of 50 states and countless school districts, 11 of the school

districts with the lowest reading performance in the whole country were from California. This is

a serious problem that requires urgency and action so that the state of California is no longer

failing their students, but instead preparing them for college and career. The article mentions a
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solution to the problem, “Strong reading programs and the teachers trained to deliver them” (p. 3,

2018). I agree with this solution, as it aligns with the research I have conducted through my

continued education in my Reading Instruction M.A.

It is easy to throw money at a problem and hope that the money will be the solution.

However, when money is spent without guidance, more problems may occur than solutions. For

example, the article mentions how low-income and low-performing schools receive money from

the government with the intention of improving literacy instruction in public schools. This

sounds great, however test scores are not supporting an improvement in literacy. So where’s the

problem now? I believe the problem occurs when money is given to schools to purchase and

implement research-proven literacy programs, without any sort of guidance on how to implement

using best practices to help students learn. For example, if a school used the money to purchase a

reading curriculum, for example ​Benchmark Advance​, but does not provide funds for

professional developments on how to incorporate this curriculum into a balanced literacy

curriculum, there will be no continuity with teachers and more problems will arise. Textbooks

are great, but they are a tool for instruction and should be treated as such. Teachers and school

administrators are the stakeholders that can ensure that literacy instruction is effective, which

requires the state of California be, “an overseer of educational progress,” (p. 3, 2018). Not to

dust one’s hands off after another new curriculum has been purchased.

If the government wants to back away from this role, they must have trust that all

teachers, especially teachers of reading are effective and passionate about teaching English

language arts. Though wishful thinking this is not the case. There are many incredible teachers

out there that can help meet the needs of students. There are also incredible teachers out there
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that have left the profession due to teacher burnout and lack of a living salary. In Los Angeles,

one of the most expensive places to live in the country, teachers are not being adequately

compensated for the hours of dedication and heart they pour into teaching. If there was an

increase in teacher pay, teachers would be less burnt out since they wouldn’t have to take extra

jobs after school to make ends meet. Other incredible educators may consider teaching even if

they haven’t before due to the increase in a living wage. In order to show that the state of

California values it’s students and its education process, it is important to show effective teachers

that are helping to build strong readers respect through a in increase in compensation. Reading

instruction through teacher effectiveness is crucial in ensuring that not only foundational reading

skills are met, but also that students feel empowered and equipped with the necessary skills they

need to be successful outside of the classroom.

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References

The Times Editorial Board (2016). Are california’s public schools failing their students on
literacy? ​The Los Angeles Times​. August 5, 2016,
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-california-schools-literacy-lawsuit-201
71226-story.html