The Literacy Crisis

A Nashville PROPEL White Paper

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Amplifying Voices & Interests

This report elevates the literacy crisis in Nashville that is largely hidden from parents. Here, we amplify the voices and interests of Nashville’s public school parents whose children are most impacted by systemic failure. Consistent with national trends:

Less than 30% of MNPS students are reading on grade level

30%

Parents believe that their children are reading at or above grade level

78%

Through our work over five years, we believe that when parents are in the know, they jump into action and demand better. We have formally trained nearly 600 parents and we have built a movement of more than 6,700 parents who are ready for advocacy and action. While state and district administrators argue over literacy policy in theory, Nashville parents face the consequences of literacy policy in practice. Our parent poll – the first comprehensive look at parent attitudes and perspectives on literacy – further sheds light on this issue. We believe authentically engaging parents as true partners is an important next step to address this literacy crisis.

Thank you for taking this journey with us.

Parent Poll Findings

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The frequency of updates that parents receive on their child’s reading progress varies significantly. Notably, 18% of district parents report never receiving updates on their child’s reading progress compared to just 5% of charter school parents.
Key Finding #1

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Report cards are misleading. A substantial majority of parents (82%) report that their child’s report card consists of Bs or better. Additionally, Black parents and parents of high school students are more likely to report their children get lower grades compared to their counterparts.
Key Finding #2

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Most parents (78%) believe their child is reading at or above grade level. In reality, less than 30% of MNPS 3rd grade students were proficient in reading last year. Report cards are not telling the whole story, and parents are not receiving critical, timely data that they need.
Key Finding #3

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A school’s focus on teaching reading is a major factor in choosing a school for specific groups of parents. For parents of color, charter school parents, and parents in District 1, a school’s focus on reading is a major factor in school selection. In other words, literacy matters to our parents.
Key Finding #4