Revised October 10, 1997
Effective reading/writing skills
are essential to success in school and are key to success in life.
Therefore, the State Board of Education supports and encourages state
and local efforts to help all students become successful readers. The
Board encourages persons closest to the child, including parents,
teachers, and other educators, to assume responsibility for creating
conditions to support successful readers/writers. The Board
encourages local school districts to have a policy that recognizes
the critical role of reading/writing instruction.
The Board further encourages local school districts to establish a policy that recognizes the importance of providing children with reading skills based both on the structure of language and the meaning of language in context. Establishing a foundation for effective reading is one of the most important functions of schools. Schools will teach systematic phonics in grades K-2 or 1-3. In addition to systematic phonics, students will read and write extensively to apply and develop the reading skills they have learned, including spelling, grammar, and penmanship. Local policy should encourage approaches that are based on the needs of the student and should include emphasis on appropriate strategies that recognize the developing skills of the student.
The Board supports teacher training in systematic phonics and in the use of a variety of skills and techniques for teaching children to read. The Board will promote state level efforts that help schools meet standards for reading/writing.
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