The Gordon Rule and the
Decline of Writing Proficiency

by Paul Aaron, UNT Student

Writing is becoming a lost art in American secondary schools. The focus of most schools is to make the students better test takers. Schools focus on standardized tests, rather than being able to communicate effectively through writing. The Gordon Rule was established in 1982 to increase the literacy of college students. The Gordon Rule requires a college student to write a set number of words to graduate.

An example of this situation is Florida. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in Washington, D.C., "Many Florida students are not academically prepared for college…” Florida long ago instated the Gordon Rule to attempt to stop this downward trend in literacy. Florida college students must complete courses that require substantial writing with a grade of C or higher and write a minimum of 24,000 words. This rule forces students to become more proficient in writing.

According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, in 1992, 91 percent of college graduates and post graduates showed a proficient level in prose literacy. This same survey in 2003 showed that 72 percent of graduates were proficient in prose literacy. These statistics are alarming because they represent those who “received” a college education. What are the colleges doing differently than they did over ten years ago?

"The declining impact of education on our adult population was the biggest surprise for us, and we just don't have a good explanation," said Mark S. Schneider, commissioner of education statistics. "It may be that institutions have not yet figured out how to teach a whole generation of students who learned to read on the computer and who watch more TV. It's a different kind of literacy."

According to Dolores Perin, a reading expert at Columbia University Teachers College, "there is a tremendous literacy decline among high school graduates that is not talked about.” She continues, "It's a little bit depressing. The colleges are left holding the bag, trying to teach students who have challenges."

eing able to communicate effectively is a valuable asset in the career field and in life. The Gordon Rule is one simple method that can stop the trend by forcing college students to become more effective writers.