Bingo. I teach at a community college and you have hit the nail on the head. The kids do not know how to read and write. Reading comprehension is a massive problem. I teach history and there is a English prerequisite to take my course but you would never know it to read the essays I see. I can understand the foreign students, English is not their first language but native English speakers are writing at about a 3rd grade level. Earlier this week I spent time going over an essay with a student from Mexico who had scholarships to the university. She told me that I was the first professor who would actually go over her essay with her. I asked about her English professors and she said they just gave her high grades and told her not to worry about it. I give my classes open note, open book and open electronic device tests. Even with all those advantages the average score last semester was a C-. Reading comprehension is non-existent right now, and you’re absolutely correct, the fix has to be made at the primary and secondary level. If it is not, then colleges will soon be nothing more than a delayed high school experience.
I help Asian students, who have green cards, apply to colleges and grad schools. Today I was helping a Santa Monica Community College girl with her UC application essays. She has a 4.0 GPA at SMCC, but her essays, while having acceptable thought content, are extremely difficult to read because her grammar is so bad. How her English teachers in high school and JC could give her an A when she is being unable to write an essay is almost a crime. Her English teachers apparently didn’t want to spend the necessary time to teach her and the other students how to read and write. And they didn’t want the hassle of dealing with irate students, parents, and their superiors by giving out failing grades. It’s easier to simply give them a good grade and let them face reality (failure) later. In that way, it’s less work and everybody is happy...temporarily.