Teacher shortage, curriculum change hurting kids' chances to read at grade level

JUPITER, Fla. (CBS12) — It sometimes seems like most of the battles being fought in school are about politics and pronouns. But there’s a bigger crisis playing out in our classrooms and the stakes are much higher.

You’ve probably heard the phrase, "Up until third grade, kids are learning to read. After third grade, they are reading to learn." Reading is the building block of all education.

But the reality is, barely half of American kids can read at grade level.

Florida is doing better but only by a percentage or two. If reading is the most fundamental skill in a child's education, why are we failing them?