Study: Number of children and teens reading for pleasure has dropped in the past 30-years. And that's the good news.

...and this was the last time he ever read.

A study collecting statistics of reading habits by Common Sense Media finds that reading for pleasure drops off precipitously as children age. 53% of children 9-years old report reading daily, but that falls to only 19% of 17-year olds.

More disconcerting are children and teenagers who respond they "never" or "hardly ever" read. In 1984, studies showed 8% of 13-year olds and 9% of 17-year olds responded as such. Today, those numbers leap to disturbing levels. In 2014, those numbers grew to 22% and 24%, respectively.

And the news keeps getting worse. Only 35% of 4th graders rank as proficient at reading, while 32% grade as "below basic."

Thank goodness our society promotes science and math at every cost though. We'll be able to write up a neat-o engineering design, it's just that no one will be able to read it.