U.S. students' "reading recession" continuing but some places bucking the trend

Modesto, Calif. — Before every important test, teacher Nancy Barajas dims the lights, turns on a disco ball and blasts music from her playlist. Her sixth graders dance together as a "pre-celebration" to boost their confidence, then take their exam. Lately, there's been a lot to celebrate in elementary schools in Modesto, California. Both reading and math scores have increased consistently over the past several years. But across the country, results are gloomier. Researchers warn that the U.S. …