Improving Adolescent Literacy in Arizona: A Report to the Governor’s P20 Council

Over the last few decades, an enormous amount of attention has been directed toward the reading difficulties of America’s young children. For instance, researchers have engaged in countless skirmishes over the relative merits of phonics and whole-language instruction in grades K–3. Pundits have lamented over and over again the fact that Johnny still can’t read. And federal policymakers have made greater and greater investments in Title I, with its heavy emphasis on teaching reading in the elementary schools.