As students struggle with literacy, what can be done to get them on track?

CHARLOTTE — Ensuring students are reading on grade level by grade three is said to be one of the greatest predictors of future success.

First-grader Maria Victoria Suarez loves to read. She reads at school and at an after school support program called Learning Help Centers of Charlotte, or LHCC. She also reads at home with her mom but sometimes, that can be difficult.

“Sometimes when I want to read a book to her, or I tell her she can read a book to me, it’s a little bit hard and she can’t read it that good,” Suarez said. Her mom, Elyemar Piña, added that the process can get frustrating.

Piña said she and her daughter moved three and a half years ago from Venezuela.

“Because of her, Maria Victoria. That was the motive to come here, for a better location and best quality of life.”

Suarez has quickly picked up English and is even learning German. Her mom is learning English too, but it’s taking longer. She’s determined to ensure her daughter succeeds.

According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, by the end of the first semester this school year, only 13.4% of third grade students were projected to meet the goal on end-of-grade English language arts exams. That number has dropped from 29.3% at the end of 2021.

For Black and Hispanic students combined, only 5.9% are projected to hit the mark, compared to 15.9% the year prior.

“It is really worrisome... because we need to take measures as a parent,” Piña said. “It is an uphill battle because of the language, but there are always resources that can help.”

One of those resources are bilingual books she got at LHCC.

Meghan Miller works with families at the after school program. She is a former CMS teacher herself. LHCC has been provided some bilingual books from the non-profit Promising Pages. Promising Pages is using donated books in English, translators and address labels to turn thousands of books into shared-reading opportunities for families. They’re working to get them to different schools and programs.

“These bilingual books would be huge for these kids,” Miller said. “They mostly have been given books in English, so the kids can read at home but then you have this gap of, the parent can’t understand the story with the kid…you’re still missing out on that shared experience.”

Leora Itzhaki is the principal of Montclaire Elementary School.

“Reading with kids is possibly the number one thing you can do because you build language, you build vocabulary, you show that reading is a fun thing,” Itzhaki said.

She said parent engagement is crucial to a student’s success. In looking at the low English language arts numbers, she said the pandemic isn’t the only contributing factor.

“I’m not surprised by those numbers remembering that many of our students don’t have access because they either live in poverty or they’re not speaking English at home,” she said. “They don’t have access to the language or the experiences that other students might have… It wasn’t just COVID that did this. Our students were struggling before, they continue to work hard, but there’s just more things and obstacles that they need to manage in their day to day life.”

But Itzhaki said we must remember kids are more than a test score, and she witnesses growth every day as her parents and teachers work hard to support students.

“Some of the best teaching I’ve seen has been in schools with populations that are struggling populations,” she said. “You walk in and you think, ‘I would want my kid in that school.’”

Miller isn’t discouraged by the numbers either. She said there is “plenty of time for progress,” and both she and Itzhaki encourage the greater community to get involved.

“If you’re a person who is concerned, volunteer,” Itzhaki said.

“You don’t just have to be a teacher or a parent or a kid to be able to make a difference,” Miller said.

And donate books. Getting tools in the hands of families who need them can lead to moments like this --

“To see my child, I get so proud,” Piña said.

(WATCH BELOW: CMS board member talks about search for next superintendent)

CMS board member talks about search for next superintendent

©2022 Cox Media Group