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(Editor's note: Submissions like what is shared below are always welcome and can be emailed to Joegenco@gmail.com Barksdale's opinion is his own, not that of the Niagara Express, but all opinions are welcome.)
By Michael Barksdale
A concerned taxpayer
It is great to see students in the Niagara Falls City School District (NFCSD) doing well in sports and activities. These achievements are important, but we cannot ignore the fact that many students are struggling in school. The Superintendent’s letter talked about student successes, but it did not mention a serious problem: many students are not reading at their grade level, and fewer students are graduating from high school.
Recent numbers show that less than 30% of students in grades 3-8 can read at the level they should. This means that most students are falling behind in reading, which is a key skill for doing well in school and life. Also, the high school graduation rate has dropped from 87% to 80%. This is a big concern that needs to be fixed quickly.
Sports, robotics, field trips, and other activities are great, but they cannot take the place of strong reading and learning. Being able to read and graduate from high school are two of the most important ways to measure how well a school is helping students prepare for the future. If students cannot read well by high school, it will be much harder for them to do well in any job or career.
The future of Niagara Falls depends on having strong schools. If students do not have good reading and learning skills, it will be harder for them to find good jobs. Businesses may not want to come to the city if they cannot find well-educated workers, according to business and community leaders. Without a strong education system, the city has not grown or improved.
We need to ask: What is being done to help students who are struggling? How will the school district make sure every student gets the reading help they need? What is the plan to stop the graduation rates from dropping even more? Families and community members deserve honest answers about what is being done to help students succeed.
It is not enough to celebrate the success of a few students while so many others are struggling. We ask Superintendent Laurrie and school leaders to focus on reading and graduation literacy rates just as much as they do on sports and activities. Every student deserves a great education that helps them succeed in life.
