skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump and China call off the divorce; Court ruling allows transgender troop removal to proceed; NC University provides guaranteed opportunity to students in struggling region; Program elimination, job loss as DOGE cuts funds for NM's AmeriCorps.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Advocates say Republicans' scaled back Medicaid cuts still put too much in jeopardy. President Trump defends getting a luxury jet from Qatar, and frustration grows among museum executives who say White House is trying to erase history.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Volunteers with AmeriCorps are reeling from near elimination of the 30-year-old program, Head Start has dodged demise but funding cuts are likely, moms are the most vulnerable when extreme weather hits, and in California, bullfrogs await their 15-minutes of fame.

Library funding at risk, even as literacy scores drop

play audio
Play

Friday, March 28, 2025   

This has been "National March Into Literacy Month" but it may become tougher over the summer to "march" into a public library and ask for help finding a good book.

An executive order signed this month by President Donald Trump requires staff and funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the agency funding libraries across the country.

One in five Maryland adults has low reading skills, according to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and 36% of fourth graders read below grade level.

Sandy Keaton, 2025 conference chair for the State of Maryland Literacy Association, said building reading skills can start in the home and parents play a large role in their kids' reading journey.

"The best way to promote literacy is for you to be a reader and for your children to see you being a reader," Keaton emphasized. "The second thing I would say would be to read with your child. You can have him or her read a page to you, then you can read a page. You can have him or her read the entire page."

Nationally, Maryland's literacy rate is in the middle of the pack among states, at 28th.

The library cutbacks come as the National Center for Education Statistics found national reading scores had their largest decline in more than 30 years. Those declines were worse for already low-performing students.

For adults, Keaton suggested starting with a book you like or that is about one of your interests, and go from there.

"If they wanted to continue to build on that knowledge, there are so many exhibitors and vendors that have books that not only will help younger children but will also help the adults," Keaton added.

Keaton recommended librarians as a great resource for all ages to get into reading. They are trained to help people pick books to match their reading level and interests.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
More than 250 rare, threatened or endangered species live along the Appalachian Trail corridor. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

As the Appalachian Trail turns 100, conservation groups are sounding alarms over federal funding freezes and staff cuts. The trail runs through the …


Social Issues

play sound

During every big election, tens of thousands of California voters make a mistake on their mail-in ballot and often get differing advice on how to fix …

Social Issues

play sound

A new report on homelessness in Colorado released by the Common Sense Institute has come under fire for muddying the waters for lawmakers and other st…


Data is big business. By 2028, the data broker market is expected to reach a value of $407.5 billion. (Pongsak/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A new tool aims to equip Oregonians with the knowledge they need to take control of their personal data and protect their privacy online. Oregon …

Health and Wellness

play sound

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the latest state data show the number of Wisconsin youth who are struggling with their mental health has spik…

Americans consume more beef annually than any other country, at about 13.82 million tons per year. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Wyoming News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Social Issues

play sound

West Virginia coal miners filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to temporarily halt the Trump administration's layoffs impacting the Coal Workers Hea…

Health and Wellness

play sound

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund showed between 8,000 and 12,000 Kentuckians could lose their jobs as a result of the state implementing Medica…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021