The Illinois State Board of Education recently released its annual report card. The numbers are heartbreaking…

Around 60% of all students across Illinois are not meeting the benchmark for reading.

Just over 90% of all students with IEPs across Illinois are not meeting the benchmark for reading.

And about 80% of all students who identify as coming from a low-income household are not meeting the benchmark for reading.

There continues to be a literacy crisis across our city and state and the most infuriating thing about it is that we know what we need to do. Legislation needs to pass that mandates dyslexia screenings and early intervention for all students. Educators need to have access to ongoing professional development to ensure that they can meet students’ needs. We have to ensure that evidence-based curriculums and training on how to implement them are used in every classroom. Students who need intensive intervention need to have access to it for as many hours as they need at whatever age they need it.

There are so many incredible educators, administrators, policymakers, educational lawyers, and parents doing beautiful work towards these ends, and yet, the gap is still so wide. We must do better. For our own children, for our neighbor’s children, for our city’s children, and for our state’s children. Let’s do this, IL.