The Newark Advocate -- Newark, OH

July 19, 2010
Seth Roy

 Literacy needs to be stressed at an early age, Licking County educators and pediatricians say.

"About 35 percent of kindergartners, nationally, are not ready to read when they enter school," said pediatrician Bill Knobeloch, who gives free books to his youngest patients through the Reach Out and Read program. "(Pediatricians are) able to start talking about literacy as a developmental milestone."

As schools increasingly draw parallels between reading performance in the primary grade levels and future graduation, Licking County students performed well in reading compared to state averages in the May Ohio Achievement Test, according to preliminary data from the Ohio Department of Education.

Although final percentages could change before report cards are released in late August, every Licking County district appears to have met the 75 percent state requirement in every grade except fifth -- which the state fell below, too.

Although Lakewood officials wouldn't comment yet on the preliminary scores, Superintendent Jay Gault pointed out district reading scores have skyrocketed during the past five years.

"Our reading scores were in the 60th percentile," he said. Early results show Lakewood's reading passage rates ranging from 72 (percent) to 87 percent this year. "Our reading scores are flying up. I'm very, very proud of that."

TEST HELPS DISTRICTS DETERMINE READING RATE

To do well in school, students must be able to read. As they progress into high school, students who have trouble reading might grow disinterested in their studies.

"What we end up seeing at the high school is kids that struggle with their work," said Patti Pickering, Jackson Intermediate School principal and former Lakewood High School academic dean. "They continue to struggle as they get older."

Lakewood, Licking Valley, Heath and Granville have been using Measures of Academic Progress testing, which helps teachers pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in students' reading and math.

The computer-based tests are given three times a year to measure student growth and reading levels and provide quick feedback. The questions also are based on Ohio content standards -- which make up achievement test questions.

The tests show the level students are at when they enter school. Although some of the result could be attributed to computer literacy, MAP testing at Licking Valley showed less than 30 percent of incoming kindergartners were ready for school in the fall of 2009, according to data Superintendent Dave Hile shared last week with the board of education.

By the end of the school year, 88 percent of Valley kindergarten students were on level, according to the MAP testing.

In older grades, the numbers are slightly lower: 81 percent in fourth; 78 in fifth; 76 in sixth. The program has been in place for only two years at Valley, and Hile hopes it leads to more students entering -- and leaving -- high school reading on grade level.

"We've got kids graduating who don't even read on a high school level," he said. "I think what you're going to see is a better-quality student."

20 MINUTES A DAY

Physicians at the American Health Network and Licking Memorial Pediatrics have handed out more than 8,000 books to children between 6 months and 5 years in the past year as part of Reach Out and Read, Knobeloch said.

As they hand the books out -- as he gave "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" to 4-year-old Nathan Carson on Friday -- the pediatricians give advice about reading and literacy to parents.

"We are just encouraging everybody to read for 20 minutes a day," Knobeloch told Nathan and his mother. "I would expect him to be able to re-tell the story by (looking at) the pictures."

This is the same message the Children's Reading Foundation of Licking County has. That group is promoting literacy across the county with what Pickering calls a simple message: Read more.

During the summer, parents should do the same with their children to keep them sharp.

"Take your child to the library each week and read new books," she said. "Try to get them to think a little bit about their reading."