The nation's "report card,' released earlier this month found that high school seniors' writing skills have dropped markedly. The National Assessment of Educational Progress found that the number of 12th-graders who wrote at a basic level dropped from 57 percent to 51 percent, a disturbing trend that's also been reflected in reading, math and science scores in recent years.

Nearly half of the country's seniors can't meet the basic requirements of a proficient writer write a "coherent, organized response to questions with clear language and supporting detail.' Yet writing effective essays and composing arguments are critical skills that determine success in college and the workplace.

In that vein, state estimates that two-thirds of California teachers fail to meet tough new federal standards isn't surprising. That California has been forced to hire emergency-credentialed teachers with little training or subject knowledge has not helped to enhance the educational pie.

Clearly, improving students' writing techniques is something that teachers need to work on. We are not doing seniors any favors by graduating them without the tools to face their futures. Have educators forgotten that writing is one of the basic 3 R's reading, writing and 'rithmetic?

Research has shown that writing every day in every subject improves student achievement in all areas. If teachers in classes other than English graded papers for writing and grammar as well as for subject knowledge, we would begin to see improved writing skills. Students writing a history paper, for instance, should be expected to write coherently.

Writing is an essential component of language. It should not be allowed to deteriorate.