Citing studies by the National Assessment of Educational Progress and by Dolores Durkin, this paper argues that students are not being taught higher level comprehension skills, such as inference, and presents hypotheses explaining this failure. The paper suggests that emphasis on skills and drills and the typical programed format advanced by prepackaged teaching materials are not conducive to developing divergent thinking, an ability necessary for inferential and critical reading. The paper gives suggestions intended to encourage teachers to try more innovative and creative teaching methods, rather than following lockstep, the instruction from typical reading workbooks or learning kits. (HTH)