Arizona Ready pushes to get kids reading at grade level, beyond

Arizona Ready pushes to get kids reading at grade level, beyond: "In an age of rampant distractions, like cellphones with games and iPads with movies, teachers face more pressure than ever to help kids learn to read well.

A new state initiative, Arizona Ready, will require all third-graders to read at grade level by 2013. Those who still read like second-graders will be held back from fourth grade.

And Mesa Public Schools is setting an even higher goal for its elementary school teachers: Kids should not just be able to read but should have a passion for the printed word by the time they get to junior high."

'via Blog this'