Literacy and Inequality

For our 10th article (!!!), we look at why 6th graders in the richest counties read 4 grade levels ahead of their peers in the poorest counties

Repeat after me: “Reading is hard.”

Repeat after me: “Reading is hard if you grow up in a poor county.”

Repeat after me: “Reading is hard if you grow up in a poor county and you are Black.”

Repeat after me: “Reading in America is unequal.”

Half of all US adults cannot read a book written at an 8th grade reading level. 20% of adults cannot read their local …