For me, the idea of summer reading began in elementary school.

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Under Vallas, elementary school reading and math test scores, though still low, are at seven-year highs.

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Lest you scoff at my predilection for elementary-level reading (the book is rated for ages four to eight), I beg you to look past the pastel illustrations and sing-songy cadence of the writing and see this book for what it is: a beautiful script about parenthood, a poignant parable about life and death, a testimony to when the roles of child and parent become blurry.

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Only about 45% of elementary students passed state reading exams last year, and 33% passed the math test.

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"It's hard when an elementary schedule is math- and reading-based, with little time devoted to science, " said Jay Farnsworth, a sixth-grade teacher in Waunakee, Wisconsin.

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For example, earlier this year the University of Minnesota found that charters in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St Paul lagged behind public elementary schools, ranking 7.5% lower for maths and 4.4% lower for reading.

ECONOMIST: Education