Jaffrey-Rindge kids can read
I was disappointed to hear a recent remark from a Cheshire County Commissioner claiming that “43% of the students in the Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District can’t read.” That statement is inaccurate and unfair to our students, educators, and families.
It was also made at an informational session by a non-partisan group seeking creative ways to fund New Hampshire schools and ease property taxes for rural towns like ours. Using blame to advance a political agenda that undermines school funding and treats students as pawns is disheartening. Assessing literacy requires more than one test score on one day. It’s unclear whether the commissioner has visited our schools or reviewed the recent New Hampshire Statewide Assessment System data—including scores from local charter schools.
Current data show that 47% of Jaffrey-Rindge students are proficient in reading and language arts compared to a statewide average of 51%. Proficiency means achieving at or above grade level; a score below proficient does not equal illiteracy. Nearly half of students meet or exceed standards, and the district’s 87% graduation rate shows that students are succeeding and moving forward.
Sweeping statements like “children can’t read” ignore the progress happening daily. Teachers are using evidence-based instruction grounded in the science of reading. Families are supporting literacy at home. Students are showing resilience despite challenges like food insecurity, pandemic learning loss, and staffing shortages.
Yes, there is room for growth—but the data show a community working hard, not one in crisis. Instead of discouraging rhetoric, we should support early literacy programs, tutoring, and community partnerships that strengthen reading skills for all. Public officials must speak accurately and constructively. Our children, teachers, and families deserve recognition for their efforts and continued progress in the Jaffrey-Rindge schools.