Balanced literacy is a teaching method based on the idea that teaching reading should give children the joy of reading from the beginning. However, it does not have a targeted focus on phonics and since 1984, schools across the country have taken this approach. Unfortunately, in that time, reading scores plummeted and the COVID-related loss of learning time made it even worse. A 2022 study done by the National Report Card showed only 35% of American children are reading proficiently.