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\"But now, you know, kids are getting out of high school, who cannot read,\" Smith continued. \"And that’s just unbelievable.\"

But even after her research, Smith said she's \"extremely hopeful.\"

\"The people I met while I was doing 250 interviews in four parts of this country are people who are working very hard,\" she added, \"and many of them are working with the people who we say failed.\"

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