Read to succeed poised to fail students

What could be wrong with a program named “Read to Succeed”? Plenty, according to Furman education professor Paul Thomas. In an opinion piece he writes for the Greenville Journal, Thomas says, “Textbook worksheets on literacy skills, test-prep for reading and writing assessments, linking teacher evaluations to students’ test scores, and retaining children are not only misguided policies but also negative influences on children’s literacy and academic achievement.” Thomas outlines a better plan to ensure reading success among South Carolina’s third-graders, and the plan doesn’t include punitive retention measures.