The Huffington Post – Michael Lombardo
“At the close of last year Congress took an important step forward in addressing the future of American education by passing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This accomplishment is a good, and necessary, step towards supporting our students with the best tools possible to ensure their success in school and prepare them for college and the workforce, but there is more work to do to maximize the impact of this investment…Reading is the cornerstone of all learning. Students who are able to master the fundamentals of reading in the critical years between kindergarten and the fourth grade are better equipped to progress in their studies and succeed in all subjects: science, math, social studies, and the arts. Given what we know about the importance of mastering reading early, Congress, the administration, and the Department of Education should take heed of two considerations to strengthen ESSA.”(more)