Gov. Olene Walker is dismayed that 20 percent of students in Utah don't read at grade level. Let's be blunt. Twenty percent of the population has an IQ less than 88. While I believe that children all the way down to IQ 70 (and perhaps lower) can be taught to read, it is more difficult to keep children with IQs under 85 "at grade level."
We should teach all children as much as they possibly can handle. We should stretch them, but not set them up for failure.
Perhaps we should deem it acceptable that students with IQ 85 or higher read at grade level, those with IQs 77-85 read no more than 3 grade levels behind, and IQs 70-77 read no more than 6 grade levels behind. That's a doable goal. You cannot teach all children to read; some are too severely damaged. Others can be taught to read, but will never read quickly or well. But if 97 percent of young adults could read at all, and 80 percent could read well, then Walker's plans would be money well spent.
Steve Setzer
Springville