Maybe the slippage on the international level is due to the fact that the results are being thrown due to a printing error on the test that had invalidated all of the US scores. See Education Week article for more details.

Reading at home, having access to books, and watching adult/parent role models (ie parents reading) are a must if children are going to read well. Parents must validate the importance of reading outside of the classroom. The easiest way to do this is go to the library or bookstore, get some books, and then READ TO THE KIDS!

I began reading to my sons on the day they were brought home from the hospital as newborns. They probably had a better home library than most classrooms. Reading together was always a priority. My sons are adults now, and although they do not love reading as much as their parents do, they are excellent readers.

We can no longer sit back and expect our classroom teachers and specialists to perform miracles with our children. Parents must be accountable for the activities that go on at home -- is the homework completed and is it accurate, have they read with their kid(s) for at least 20 minutes, is TV/video game time limited, have the kid(s) played?