posted on
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – NewMexicoKidsCAN released a new resource for parents and caregivers to help their children learn how to read. The Literacy Toolkit provides actionable steps to support literacy development, information on what good literacy instruction looks like, and resources for summer reading.
“Literacy is an enormous challenge for New Mexico students and students nationwide. The Literacy Toolkit provides parents with the knowledge they need to support their child,” said Amanda Aragon, Executive Director of NewMexicoKidsCAN.”To improve literacy in New Mexico we all have a role to play. Each of us must get involved and take action as soon as possible.”
The release of the Literacy Toolkit compliments the Literacy Action Center recently created by NewMexicoKidsCAN. The action center helps familiarize parents with the history of literacy instruction and the current literacy crisis.
According to the most recent NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) results, more than half of New Mexico’s 4th graders (52%) score below basic in reading, meaning they only have partial mastery of basic skills. These results place New Mexico 14 percentage points behind the national average, a rank that places the state last among all 50 states. Additionally, the most recent state assessment data from the 2021-2022 school year shows that 34% of students are proficient in reading, while only 27% score proficient in early literacy.