LONG SYNOPSIS 

American reading levels have been far below grade-level for decades. In 2022, only one-third of children were reading at proficient levels. When a child doesn’t learn to read, their chances of incarceration, homelessness, and high school dropout increase.

Schools throughout the nation use reading methods known as “whole language” or “balanced literacy.” These methods promote the idea that a child will naturally learn to read overtime and encourage students to rely on context markers like pictures and memorization rather than individual sounds and letters. Unfortunately, they’ve been proven not to work, but are supported by a billion dollar industry that continues to sell ineffective curricula to thousands of educators who likely have not been taught better. 

Kareem knows the solution is simple: teach children how to read using explicit and systematic literacy instruction, often referred to as “structured literacy” or “the science of reading.” We have had the research since 2000, when George Bush called for a National Reading Panel, but people either did not listen or did not hear. 

Fed up with the bleak reading scores in his own community, he files an NAACP petition demanding change in Oakland schools’ reading curricula. Working with Ms. Causey, a first grade teacher in the lowest performing school, the two go against district mandates to bring in evidence-based literacy tools to see if they can turn reading scores around. 

In Virginia Beach, Teresa and her four-year-old daughter Ivy work on early language–a crucial component of literacy–showing how parents can help children get ready to read at home. In Mississippi, the Adams family explores educational technology to help their son learn to read before his third grade exams. Meanwhile, Kareem furthers his cause by calling out publishing companies that he believes have prioritized profits over student success. 

Two years later, the Oakland school board has finally met the top petition demand of implementing a new reading curriculum across the district, and Kareem’s work to mobilize national demand for literacy is taking off. Ms Causey’s students have some of the best scores in Oakland, Teresa’s daughter Ivy is on track to read, and the Adams family have successfully helped their son achieve above grade-level reading scores. All thanks to explicit and direct reading instruction. 

Eighteen out of fifty states now require teacher training in the science of reading. For Kareem, this isn’t nearly enough. There needs to be a widespread shift in how America thinks about teaching reading, from policy makers to teachers to parents. This film is a call for educators, policymakers, parents, and anyone who cares about the future of our nation to join the fight for every child’s right to read. 

INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION

1. Children have the basic human right to read

2. Children have the right to access texts in print and digital formats.

3. Children have the right to choose what they read.

4. Children have the right to read texts that mirror their experiences and languages, provide windows into the lives of others, and open doors into our diverse world.

5. Children have the right to read for pleasure.

6. Children have the right to supportive reading environments with knowledgeable literacy partners.

7. Children have the right to extended time set aside for reading.

8. Children have the right to share what they learn through reading by collaborating with others locally and globally.

9. Children have the right to read as a springboard for other forms of communication, such as writing, speaking, and visually repreenting.

10. Children have the right to benefit from the financial and material resources of governments, agencies, and organizations that support reading and reading instruction.