Philadelphia School District is right to push phonics in reading education | Editorial

Philadelphia has struggled with literacy for decades.

After a 1983 study showed that 40% of the city’s adults were functionally illiterate, Mayor William J. Green III created the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy. His successor, W. Wilson Goode Sr., followed up with the Drive Against Illiteracy program, training 700 tutors to help their neighbors learn a critical skill.

Those initiatives and others over the years failed to turn the tide. Today, more than half of Philadelphia’s adults are functionally illiterate — meaning they struggle to read and write beyond a basic level, limiting their ability to fully engage civically and restricting employment opportunities.

Thankfully, recent curriculum changes at the School District of Philadelphia may be able to make a difference.

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Under new Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., Philadelphia has decided to embrace what is known as the science of reading. For years, the dominant theory behind reading education has emphasized immersing children in books and guiding them to naturally develop the ability. The science of reading focuses on phonics. Students learn to decode words by sounding them out.

It is an approach that has been successful elsewhere. Mississippi, long shorthand for poor educational results, has seen tremendous growth in early literacy after adopting the phonics method. In 2013, the Magnolia State was the second worst in the nation for fourth-grade reading. By 2022, it had become 21st.

The technique has also been effective for schools here in Philadelphia. Germantown’s Anna Lane Lingelbach Elementary School saw an astounding 173% increase in third graders who passed the state English exam, from 26% to 71%. A recent Inquirer profile showcased improvements to the school’s learning environment, but it also pointed to a shift in reading instruction, utilizing the science of reading.

Beyond boosting test scores for early learners, a solid foundation in phonics also makes it easier to teach older students. Children who struggle with reading often get discouraged and may disrupt class as a result. Students who are confident readers are more likely to stay engaged in their work. As Lingelbach fourth-grade teacher Rebecca Hoffman told The Inquirer, “Not only is it affecting their reading and their writing and speaking and listening, it’s affecting all of the subject areas, they can grapple with fourth-grade material.”

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There’s also evidence to suggest that the approach is working citywide. According to the Education Research Scorecard, a research collaboration between Harvard and Stanford, Philadelphia’s schools are the best in the nation when it comes to post-COVID-19 recovery. In fact, Philadelphia schools are exceeding pre-pandemic reading scores, even as students here and across the world lost the equivalent of half a year’s reading instruction.

If the new phonics-based approach continues to succeed, it could pay dividends for more than just the city’s schools. Beyond big corporate jobs in Center City, many local small businesses say that the city’s literacy struggles make it hard for them to hire workers. It also makes bigger dreams — like buying a house or starting a business — virtually impossible.

By recommitting to effective reading techniques, district leaders are laying the foundation for a stronger city.