"Can Americans Read?" Panel to Examine Literacy Trends and Policy

As of 2025, about 21% of Americans — roughly 45 million people — are functionally illiterate, reading below a fifth-grade level. Even more striking, 54% of U.S. adults read below a sixth-grade level. This is not just an education issue; it is an economic one, too. Low literacy costs the U.S. an estimated $2 trillion each year, according to the National Literacy Institute.

The problem starts early, and it's getting worse. Reading scores for fourth and eighth graders fell again in 2024, wiping out gains made before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, just 32% of fourth graders reached proficiency. Many others didn't even meet the basic benchmark. The most recent data show the lowest-performing students falling even further behind, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

"America is facing a literacy crisis that should be treated as a national emergency," said Harry Patrinos, professor and department head, 21st Century Endowed Chair, Department of Education Reform. "Early reading is the foundation of human capital — without it, students struggle to build skills, access jobs and contribute to growth."

None of this is new. Nearly 70 years ago, Rudolf Flesch sounded the alarm in Why Johnny Can't Read — And What You Can Do About It, arguing that schools had abandoned phonics in favor of less effective methods. His warning ignited the "reading wars," a debate that still shapes classrooms today.

Research has since brought more clarity to the subject. National Reading Panel's 2000 report confirmed that systematic phonics is essential. Today's "science of reading" builds on that foundation, emphasizing structured literacy, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension, as a cohesive approach rather than competing philosophies.

Some states have acted. Mississippi, often cited as a turnaround story, adopted a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy: early screening, phonics-focused instruction, intensive teacher training, targeted intervention and retention policies used sparingly. The results have drawn national attention.

Arkansas has entered this debate with new urgency. Roughly 36% of Arkansas students are considered not proficient on the state reading exam. Arkansas ranks 43rd nationally in fourth-grade reading and 39th in eighth-grade reading, placing it below the national average in both categories. Under the LEARNS Act, the state recently adopted a third-grade promotion policy requiring students to demonstrate reading proficiency before advancing to fourth grade.

Yet no single factor fully explains the broader decline. Researchers and policymakers point to a range of influences, including pandemic-related disruptions, chronic absenteeism, increased screen time, instructional practices and changes in accountability systems following the No Child Left Behind Act.

Proposed responses vary. Some emphasize evidence-based literacy reforms similar to those implemented in Mississippi, while others focus on school choice, limits on cellphone use or adjustments to accountability policies. Internationally, approaches differ as well, with countries such as Estonia incorporating education technology and Singapore maintaining consistent national standards and accountability measures.

The scope and persistence of these trends have intensified attention on literacy outcomes and the policies and practices that shape them.

That question takes center stage at the upcoming Honors College Pulse Panel discussion, "Can Americans Read?" a conversation bringing together faculty experts in education policy, accountability and literacy to confront one of the most urgent challenges in American education. Panelists include:

• Vicki S. Collet, professor, graduate program coordinator, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Health Professions

• Josh McGee, associate professor, 21st Century Endowed Chair, Department of Education Reform, College of Education and Health Professions

• Harry Patrinos, professor and department head, 21st Century Endowed Chair, Department of Education Reform, College of Education and Health Professions

The panel will be moderated by honors students.

Attendees are invited to enjoy pizza and refreshments during the discussion. The event will take place from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, in Gearhart Hall 258, and is open to the entire campus. Please RSVP via Hogsync.

"I think all Americans should have a vested interest in the ability of our fellow citizens to read," said Joshua Bozarth, an Honors College Fellow, majoring in biochemistry, French and philosophy. "Reading is critical both to the human experience and to optimal participation in civil society. Education reform happens at all levels of government, and ordinary citizens can potentially change policy, for example, by showing up to school board meetings or by voting in elections. As such, if we have a responsibility to care for the welfare of others, and if literacy is involved in others' welfare, then we have a responsibility to firstly be informed about the complex issue of literacy, and secondarily to actuate positive changes to literacy policies in our communities."

The Honors College Pulse discussion series began in 2016 and was named in remembrance of victims of the Pulse nightclub shootings. Discussion topics are generated by honors students. The discussions allow students to ask questions about current events and trends and to learn holistically from varying interdisciplinary perspectives across campus. Panel discussions have featured conversations around nuclear proliferation, affirmative action, the Dakota Access Pipeline Project, Roe v. Wade, the viral phenomenon of "Barbenheimer," the legal ramifications and decisions related to hate crimes, ways to fight local hunger and poverty, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance and more.