Southern Arizona students struggling to read

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - There’s a reading emergency across the nation and in southern Arizona.

More than 60% of students in Pima County cannot read at their grade level, according to AZ Report Card’s most recent data . Experts said one reason is the reading materials schools are using.

Teaching reading is a science.

It’s not something we learn naturally, like eating or speaking. We have to be taught, and we have to be taught correctly.

The old method of teaching reading -- called Whole Language -- was only effective in teaching 40% of children. Scientists have since devised new strategies, called the Science of Reading, and estimate that the new methods can teach up to 95% of children to read.

The problem is, not all Science of Reading curricula are created equal.