Proving the Decline Data Wrong

In his recent article, America is Sliding Toward Illiteracy, Idrees Kahloon argues that American education is sliding backward. He states that literacy and basic academic skills have eroded, in part because of a “pervasive refusal to hold children to high standards.” He describes alarming data: in 2024, up to 40% of fourth graders and 33% of eighth graders were reading “below basic.”

Here’s why that’s impossible at our school: 

1. High expectations + direct support. Kahloon argues the very problem is lowered expectations: when “schools demand less,” children “give less.” At Lucas Literacy Lab, we lean in. We expect children to read deeply, write clearly, struggle through complex ideas, and engage in meaningful projects each day. All of our core academics are completed within the first two hours of the school day, and each child works on individualized material customized for their needs. By design, we do not settle for passive learning.

2. Small-scale, individualized instruction. The national data rest on large systems where individual attention gets lost. Here, class sizes are tiny, the setting is home-like, and each child’s curriculum is tailored. This allows us to notice when a child is off track and intervene early.  Something large systems struggle to do.

3. Mixed-age, active learning environment. The decline narrative often focuses on static classrooms, worksheets, and test prep. Our model incorporates mixed-age groups, hands-on learning, real-world projects, creative problem-solving, and in-depth reading. These create neural pathways, foster engagement, and build the kind of literacy and thinking skills the article says are eroding.

4. Family partnership, trust, and community. The article highlights external factors, including smartphones, social media, and distractions. We counteract that by creating a cozy, relational environment. Our school provides children with a home-feel setting, shoes off at the door, comfortable spaces to read, quiet rooms, and outdoor breaks. Learning is embedded in relationships and a safe environment.

The national alarm in The Atlantic doesn’t apply in our little school, because we’ve intentionally designed out the very conditions the article names.

Yes, there are broader systemic trends, but they are not inevitable. Some settings, like ours, prove what can happen when we refuse to lower the bar, when we build genuine relationships, when we hold children accountable, when we invite them to struggle and to rise. We’ve cultivating a place at Lucas Literacy Lab where decline is not the narrative, but where growth, depth, literacy, creativity, and faith are lived daily.

Email amanda@lucasliteracylab.com to learn more.