阅读能力是教师和家长可以为学生提供的最强大的工具之一。 扫盲与未来的经济和职业成功密切相关。 另一方面，文盲的价格非常高。 美国国家教育统计中心指出，43％的阅读水平最低的成年人生活贫困，根据国家扫盲研究所的统计，70％的福利人口识字率极低。 此外，72％的识字率低的父母的孩子本身识字率低，而且更有可能在学校表现不佳而辍学。 早期和初等教育提供了打破经济困难循环的关键机会。 虽然阅读和写作的机制是必不可少的基石，但阅读理解能让学生超越解码，进入理解和享受。
The ability to read is one of the most powerful tools teachers and parents can give students. Literacy is strongly correlated with future economic and professional success. Illiteracy, on the other hand, exacts a steep price. The National Center for Education Statistics notes that 43 percent of adults with the lowest reading levels live in poverty, and according to the National Institute for Literacy, 70 percent of people on welfare have extremely low literacy. Furthermore, 72 percent of children of parents with low literacy will themselves have low literacy, and are more likely to perform poorly in school and drop out. Early and elementary education offers a key opportunity to break this cycle of economic hardship. And while the mechanics of reading and writing are essential building blocks, reading comprehension allows students to move beyond decoding and into understanding and enjoyment.