Philadelphia has struggled with literacy for decades.
After a 1983 study showed that 40 percent of the city's adults were functionally illiterate, Mayor William J. Greene III established the Mayor's Literacy Commission. His successor, W. Wilson Good Sr., continued the anti-illiteracy program, and he trained 700 tutors to help neighbors learn important skills.
These and other efforts over the years have failed to turn the tide. Currently, more than half of Philadelphia's adults are functionally illiterate. This means they struggle to read and write beyond a basic level, limiting their ability to fully engage in civic activities and limiting their employment opportunities.
Thankfully, recent curriculum changes in the Philadelphia School District may be able to make a difference.
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Under new Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., Philadelphia decided to embrace what was known as the science of reading. For many years, the dominant theory behind reading education has focused on immersing children in books and guiding them to develop their abilities naturally. The Science of Reading focuses on phonics. Students learn to sound out and decode words.
This is an approach that has been successful elsewhere. Mississippi has long been associated with poor educational performance, but since implementing phonics, early literacy has improved significantly. In 2013, Magnolia State had the second-worst reading score in the nation among fourth-graders. In 2022, it ranked 21st.
This technology is also working in schools here in Philadelphia. At Anna Lane's Ringelbach Elementary School in Germantown, the percentage of her third graders passing the state English exam increased by 173% from 26% to 71%. A recent Inquirer profile highlights improvements to schools' learning environments, but also points to changes in reading instruction that leverage the science of reading.
In addition to improving test scores for early learners, a strong foundation in phonics also makes teaching older students easier.The kids Those who are not good at reading are often discouraged and may end up having their lessons interrupted. Students who are confident in reading are more likely to stay engaged in learning. As her fourth-grade teacher at Ringelbach, Rebecca Hoffman, told the Inquirer, “It not only affects their reading, writing, speaking, and listening, but it affects all subject areas; They can work on her fourth grade material.”
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There is also evidence to suggest that this approach is working across the city. Philadelphia schools are among the best in the nation for recovering after COVID-19, according to the Education Research Scorecard, a joint study between Harvard and Stanford universities. In fact, Philadelphia schools are outperforming pre-pandemic reading scores even though students in Philadelphia and around the world have lost the equivalent of half a year's worth of reading instruction.
If the new phonics-based approach continues to be successful, it could benefit more than just the city's schools. In addition to large corporations hiring in Center City, many local small businesses also say they are having trouble hiring employees due to the city's declining literacy rate. It also makes bigger dreams, like buying a home or starting a business, virtually impossible.
District leaders are building the foundation for a stronger city by re-implementing effective reading techniques.
