[VIDEO] TESTIMONY: Father Cites 77% Reading Failure Rate at Highline; His Daughter Will Not Return

"Strong academics is racial equity work and anything less in negligence." - Marcus Stubblefield

The following was testimony presented by Marcus Stubblefield to the Highline School Board at their March 20, 2024 meeting.[NOTE FROM EDITOR: Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Burien-News or Daniel Media. If you wish to submit a story, photo, article or letter, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.][videopress BFZmg1ix]Marcus Stubblefield, Highline School Board Meeting - 3/20/24 [2:06 minute video] [Transcript of Video]Good Evening Dr. Duran and School Board of Directors.My name is Marcus Stubblefield, and I have had students in the Highline School District for 9 years. I have also worked for 35+ years in the fields of youth development and juvenile justice.I am here to speak about the broad impacts that literacy has on outcomes for all youth, and my family’s own struggle, due to Highline’s failed methods of teachingstudents to read. The podcast “Sold a Story” outlines these methods, for those interested.In February of last year, we made the painstaking decision to withdraw our daughter from 4th grade at Marvista, to try and recover the joyful spirit that was in a freefall, due to her lack of skill and confidence in reading.In my field I often see how academic inferiority manifests in behavior issues, aggression and withdrawal. For our daughter it took an extreme toll on her self-worth.According to Highline’s data, in 2023 only 23% of the 3-4th grade students were reading at or above grade level, the rest are below. Our daughter was one of them.My wife has spent the past year focused on the fundamentals of reading with our daughter - phonics, structured, explicit instruction. She is now reading andcomprehending at a 5th grade level and ready and excited for middle school. That will not be in Highline!March is National Reading month. Please refocus on a commitment to the fundamental building blocks of education and prioritize the science of reading, and let your budget reflect that commitment.Strong academics is racial equity work and anything less in negligence.Thank you, Marcus StubblefieldWe reached out to Mr. Stubblefield for additional information on this subject, especially in his field of juvenile justice and the correctional system. He shared that there is a link between low literacy rates in 3rd graders and higher prison rates as they age. Then he provided an article and further clarification:

https://www.literacymidsouth.org/news/the-relationship-between-incarceration-and-low-literacy

You see, a student not reading at his or her grade level by the end of the third grade is four times less likely to graduate high school on time, and six times less likely for students from low-income families. Take that and add to it a 2009 study by researchers at Northeastern University that found that high school dropouts were 63 times (!) more likely to be incarcerated than college grads and you can start to see how many arrive at this conclusion.

But once incarcerated, not all hope is lost. In fact, literacy instruction can help on both ends of the correctional system; studies have shown that inmates enrolled in literacy and other education programs can substantially reduce recidivism rates. One study of 3,000 inmates in Virginia found that 20% of those receiving support in an education program were reincarcerated, while 49% not receiving additional support returned to prison after being released.

So, while prison planners do not use third grade reading scores to determine the number of prison beds they’ll need in the decade to come, there is a connection between literacy rates, high school dropout rates, and crime. While we should file this claim as an urban legend, let’s recognize why it resonates with us: it speaks to the important ways that poor reading skills are connected with unfavorable life outcomes.

-Marcus Stubblefield[NOTE FROM EDITOR: If you wish to submit a story, photo, article or letter, please contact us. Even if you wish to remain anonymous, please include your name and phone number so we may contact you privately. We look forward to hearing from you.]