| The news just recently reported that there are a | | | | be encouraged to invest some time in teaching |
| lot of budget cuts coming for the new school | | | | their child to read before they even get to school. |
| year. There are plans to lay off thousands of | | | | By sending a child to school that cannot read |
| teachers, cancel summer school programs and | | | | parents are gambling with their child's future. |
| after school programs and increase classroom | | | | Studies show that a child that is struggling to read |
| size. Every parent that sends their child to public | | | | in the third grade never catches up to their peers. |
| school should be very concerned. The U.S. in its | | | | With less funding and less remedial reading |
| current state is not up to par with education and | | | | programs, parents are left with no choice. It boils |
| making such drastic cuts can only be detrimental | | | | down to this, if you want your child to do well in |
| to future generations. | | | | public school and get a good education, get |
| Once these budget cuts become effective | | | | prepared to be involved. |
| parents should expect the drop out rate to climb. | | | | Teaching a child to read is not a hard or |
| Programs that offer extra help to students who | | | | complicated task for parents. A child learns to |
| struggle in reading or math may soon be a thing | | | | read much easier in a one on one setting, such as |
| of the past. This will put a lot of extra pressure | | | | would be provided in their home, with the |
| on parents to compensate for the lack of support | | | | guidance of a loving parent. Many programs are |
| from the school system. | | | | available to guide parents in teaching their child to |
| The US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is | | | | read. |
| urging schools and parents to do all they can to | | | | Parents should certainly invest in one of these |
| prevent these changes from occurring. The loss | | | | programs and begin teaching their child to read |
| of many of these programs will have serious | | | | beginning around age 4. With an investment of |
| effects on the quality of the education our | | | | just 15 minutes a day a child can learn to read |
| children will receive. | | | | well before the age of 5. The United States is |
| What can parents do? Now more than ever, | | | | facing an economic crises, which will affect those |
| parents must be involved in making sure their child | | | | dependent on the public school systems. Parents |
| can read before they begin school. Since reading is | | | | would be wise to prepare their child for success |
| the backbone of all other learning, parents need to | | | | by assuring they can read well. |