Successful public education is the key to lifting children from poverty to success. Despite massive funding increases for public education over the last several years, improved results in math and reading competency have not been forthcoming. One solution that’s proving successful is structured literacy. To that end $30 million has been appropriated both for summer reading “boot camps” for students and a structured literacy institute to train teachers on this method of teaching reading.
The new Government Responsibility and Opportunity effort is clearly going to draw a bead on other problem areas and seek solutions. Legislation requiring additional school board training will make another positive contribution. And, $100 million for career technical training will hopefully attract students to pursue training and careers in much needed trades. CTE can and should be much more available at the high-school level, and the new graduation requirements passed this session should facilitate student choice to pursue courses of interest to them and which are not just college preparatory.