LUFKIN, Texas - Kurth Memorial Library is working to address a national literacy crisis that data shows is affecting East Texas students, including those in Lufkin ISD.

According to 2024 data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 70% of Texas fourth graders read below proficiency.

The foundation notes that fourth grade reading statistics mark a key shift - from "learning to read" to "reading to learn."An Ed Opportunity report also shows that Lufkin ISD students in third through eighth grade score below the state average in reading.