(Syndicated to Kansas newspapers Jan. 21, 2013)
When reading test hits home?
Every now and again there’s an idea that sounds good in the Statehouse, makes sense to a lot of Kansans, and turns into a tiger once it gets out of the Statehouse.
This read-by-third-grade proposal of Gov. Sam Brownback appears to be one of those. A good idea—that you have to wonder how it is going to be received out across the state.
Kansans want their children, or their children’s children, or even the neighbor children to grow up and get good jobs and start families and all of that. The American, err … Kansas way of life.
For a good part of that idyllic future we hope for, Kansans need to be able to read.
Brownback says third grade is the bright yellow line for reading.