COREY BROOKS: Chicago schools are failing kids at the one skill that can change their lives

In Chicago, one of America’s prized and wealthiest cities, only 23% of its fourth graders scored proficient or higher in reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is also known as the Nation’s Report Card. Another 53% scored below basic.

That means that three out of four fourth-graders could not demonstrate solid command of reading skills, and more than half lacked even partial mastery. What is even worse is that the increase in reading proficiency from fourth...