Los Angeles (CNN) — In 1999, Rebecca Constantino began doing a study at schools across Los Angeles. One day, she saw something that stopped her in her tracks. She had just completed a Ph.D. in language, literacy and learning, and she was analyzing children’s access to books in affluent and low-income communities.
The best way to learn to read is by reading, research has shown. And a student leaving kindergarten with a good grasp of reading and writing sentences is commonly considered a key indicator for college and career readiness down the road.