Approximately two out of every five students in the United States cannot read at a basic level. Literacy rates have been declining for more than a decade, but since the COVID-19 pandemic those rates have gotten worse.

The ability to read and write is fundamental. Without these necessary skills, students are falling behind, and their future success is a concern. In Monroe County, less than 40% of third to eighth grade students are proficient in reading.

For Carol St. George, these aren’t just numbers, they reflect the deeper issues within education. St. George directs the literacy teacher education program at the University of Rochester Warner School of Education and Human Development.

As a veteran K-12 teacher, a mother of three and current professor, St. George has watched the conversation and instructional strategies change over the years. Recently, she has noticed the lack of literacy recognition in kids’ regular routine.

St. George recalls a day she was reading with a first-grade class. While the group was reading, one student in particular, Leah, stuck with St. George.