The month of March is formally recognized as reading month across the country. Chosen for the birthday of Dr. Seuss, the month is a celebration of reading across all ages.
However, within the last few years, Michigan has seen a decline in child literacy rates. According to the United Way of Midland County, 45% of the county's third graders fall below state standards in reading. United Way also cited a study that says students are 75% more likely to drop out of high school compared to students who are proficient in reading.
To celebrate reading month and help bring awareness to this issue. Midland State Representative Bill Schuette (R-Midland) visited local elementary schools earlier this month to read to classrooms.
"I think literacy is one of the most basic skills that students and our young people need to succeed in the workplace, in our school system." Schuette said in an interview with WCMU. "If you can't read you can't acquire the basic skills to succeed further in your academic career, and it's really hard if you can't read the signs to follow the path to opportunity."
He said that sitting and reading to your children can help them become lifelong readers, along with after school and summer library programs.
"We should be embarrassed at the the rates of literacy in the state of Michigan. We're clearly failing our kids. That's why I think March is Reading Month is such an important time to highlight the need to boost our literacy rates in our state," Schuette said
