By Karla O’Brien

For many educators, teaching reading stops at the early elementary years. The assumption is that by third grade, students will have made the crucial shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” But what happens when that shift never fully happens? What becomes of the students who slip through the cracks—those who reach high school still unable to decode words fluently, read independently, or comprehend grade-level texts?

The truth is harsh but undeniable: students who reach adolescence without foundational literacy skills face an uphill battle, not just in school, but in life. They struggle silently in classrooms built for readers, often hiding their difficulties behind behaviors, avoidance, or withdrawal. Many eventually disengage entirely, and when they leave school unprepared, they enter adulthood without one of the most essential skills for employment, informed decision-making, and self-advocacy.

But here’s the good news: it’s never too late.

We recently spoke with a high school special education teacher who is breaking that myth wide open. Despite having a reading specialist degree, Annie Driscoll shared the deep frustration she felt when faced with students who were years behind in reading and had no clear path forward. “It was always a frustration working with students who had significant challenges with decoding and not having a resource to support their needs,” she said. “Without a program to implement, I felt lost about how to support students and felt little confidence in what I was doing.”

That changed when Annie discovered Slant System™—a structured, evidence-based approach to reading instruction designed to meet the needs of struggling readers, even in the upper grades. Over the past year, with the support of a Slant System™ coach throughout her Practicum, she’s implemented the approach in her high school and witnessed dramatic results.

“Students who, before Slant, had an independent reading level around the 4th or 5th grade are inching closer to reading at grade-level,” she explained. But beyond test scores and benchmarks, what stood out most were the students themselves: once reluctant, now engaged. Teens who had checked out of reading intervention were suddenly participating, showing up, and believing in their ability to learn.

The idea that adolescents are “too old” to learn to read is not only false, it’s damaging. It robs students of the chance to catch up and re-engage with their education. It overlooks their potential. And it allows a cycle of inequity to continue, sending teens into adulthood without the literacy skills that unlock nearly every opportunity in life.

Annie’s advice to others? Don’t wait. “Just do it,” she said. “I’m implementing Slant with seniors in high school who are benefitting from the program. To be honest, though, it also makes me sad that students are going to high school lacking these skills. The earlier that students are identified and supported, the more opportunities will open for them later.”

And while early intervention will always be ideal, it’s not the only option. With the right tools, strategies, and a mindset that sees possibility instead of limitation, high schools can become places of reading transformation, not just academic triage.

It’s never too late to change a life with literacy.
It’s never too late to give a student the gift of reading.
And it’s never too late to believe they still can.