The Literacy Crisis Is an Economic Crisis

I remember standing in front of my first-grade classroom, watching my students struggle through a sentence, guessing at words based on pictures rather than decoding them. I had been taught to encourage them to “use the first letter and think about what makes sense.” But my students were failing, and I felt like a failure, too. It wasn’t until I received training and coaching in evidence-based reading instruction that everything changed. Armed with knowledge of the science of how the brain learns to read and a structured curriculum, my students began making incredible gains – 93% of them reaching or exceeding grade-level proficiency by the end of the year. It wasn’t magic. It was science, targeted investment, and the right support.

But what happens to students who don’t get that opportunity? What happens when they’re pushed along from grade to grade without foundational literacy skills? They become adults who struggle to find stable, well-paying jobs, who are locked out of economic mobility, and who are more likely to depend on social services or become involved in the criminal justice system. According to research by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, students who cannot read proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Right now, in Pennsylvania, 67% of fourth graders cannot read proficiently. The consequences are staggering – not just for them, but for all of us.

Literacy isn’t just an education issue. It’s an economic one. A study from Gallup and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy found that low literacy costs the U.S. economy $2.2 trillion annually. Employers across industries are feeling this impact firsthand. A recent survey of frontline employers found that one-third say their average employee lacks the literacy skills needed to do their job well, and 40% report that low literacy is widespread in their company. Here in Pennsylvania, we pride ourselves on being a state of innovation, home to some of the country’s top research institutions, life sciences companies, and advanced manufacturing. From the first hospital in the nation to cutting-edge robotics, Pennsylvania has always been a leader. But if our children can’t read, these jobs will not go to Pennsylvanians. Employers will look elsewhere. Our economy will stagnate.

We have a choice. We can continue to let students slip through the cracks, or we can invest in their future – and ours. The latest NAEP results, released last month, reveal a troubling decline in reading proficiency, with 67% of Pennsylvania’s fourth graders unable to read proficiently. Yet, despite this stark reality, Gov. Shapiro’s recent budget proposal included no funding for literacy. The Pennsylvania General Assembly must step up where the budget falls short and commit $100 million to evidence-based literacy instruction, teacher training, and universal screening tools. This is not just about test scores; it’s about securing Pennsylvania’s economic future. If we fail to act, we won’t just be failing our students – we’ll be failing our state.

The solution is clear. The time to act is now. Pennsylvania’s legacy of leadership and innovation – its future – depends on it.