Unfortunately, too many children come from homes where reading is not an important aspect of life. For a fourth-grader to make a good reading score, certain things should be going on in his life from toddlerhood, if not before. He should be read a bedtime story at night, have books in his room and see parents who read often and enjoy a good book. Nothing in the article on test results mentions this, and yet almost every study coming down the pike stresses the importance of the influence of the parent. School and money are no substitute for the loving attention of a good parent.
Values are as important or more important than book learning.
Math and history, though important, will not prepare our children for the harsh realities of life. Values can be instilled in our children without religion or references to race, creed or comparison of one child to another. The introduction of values and basic morals into our schools will pay off. Not today or tomorrow, but we have to start now. Maybe our kids will teach the parents a thing or two about values and morals.