We can’t give up on reading — or its role in our democracy | Opinion
Maine’s literacy challenge: A call to action from University of Southern Maine’s president
Portland, Maine – In a new column for the Maine Press Herald, Jacqueline Edmondson, Ph.D., president of the University of Southern Maine (USM), called the state’s declining reading proficiency and diminishing reading habits a “public‑policy crisis” that demands a coordinated response from families, schools, libraries, universities and community groups.
Edmondson highlighted that Maine’s fourth‑grade students lag far behind the national average. According to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, 74 % of Maine fourth graders are not proficient in reading. Even Maine’s own state assessments, which set a higher proficiency bar, show only a little over 65 % meeting the standard. “The overall trend is troubling,” Edmondson said, noting that the gap between national and state definitions of proficiency can obscure the true depth of the problem.
The author traced the roots of low literacy to broader social and economic factors. Roughly 12 % of Maine children live in poverty and about 21 % experience food insecurity—both conditions that undermine a child’s readiness to learn. Moreover, Maine ranks among the nation’s highest for child maltreatment and adverse childhood experiences, the “dark‑room” factors that can stunt a child’s intellectual growth.
In addition to these structural issues, Edmondson pointed to a national decline in reading for pleasure. An American Time Use Survey revealed that the share of adults who read for fun fell from 28 % in 2004 to 16 % in 2023. “The end of the age of reading is here,” the author quoted Rose Horowitch, writer for The Atlantic, who describes contemporary society as “post‑literate” rather than illiterate. “People are still reading, but not as deeply, regularly or critically as they once did.”
Edmondson counters that while the era of reading is not finished, the nation’s reading culture must evolve. “What people read, how they read and why they read have always changed in response to social change and new technologies,” she wrote. “Our task is to help people navigate today’s complex information environment while preserving the sustained attention, imagination, empathy and critical thinking that reading cultivates.”
To keep the conversation alive, Edmondson highlighted a range of grassroots initiatives. In Ellsworth, a library program called “Baby Story & Play” invites families to share stories and play with babies. In Cumberland and other towns, the “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” campaign encourages early access to books. Across the state, book clubs, author talks, and lifelong‑learning programs—including those offered by USM and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute—create spaces where reading becomes a shared community experience.
The Maine Department of Education’s State Literacy Action Plan sets a state‑wide agenda to strengthen literacy culture. USM is a key partner in the plan. On September 21 this year, educators and preservice teachers from southern Maine will gather at the USM Portland campus to explore the plan’s strategies and resources. USM faculty serve on the Maine State Literacy Team, designing courses that train teachers to implement evidence‑based literacy practices.
Beyond K‑12 instruction, USM faculty also help college students develop the specialized reading skills needed for academic success. The university’s USM Reads program brings together students, staff, and lifelong learners through shared book‑reading events. Since 2022, more than 50 USM students have contributed over 3,000 hours as tutors with America Reads/America Counts, working in schools throughout southern Maine.
“Reversing current trends will require a full‑court press involving families, schools, libraries, universities and community organizations,” Edmondson concluded. “If we work together, we can build communities of confident, curious, lifelong readers and strengthen the informed and engaged citizenry our democracy requires.”
