Reading is an essential skill in education and the current technologically-driven workforce, yet it is a skill that is not mastered by all. Secondary students in a school district in central Alabama have demonstrated a low mastery rate on the reading portion of a standardized test. This quantitative research study used a non-experimental descriptive survey research design to examine the perceptions of secondary teachers on teaching reading skills to students. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the different perceptions held by secondary teachers regarding their confidence and competency to teach effective reading skills within their content areas. The theoretical framework for this study was the self-efficacy of the secondary teachers and social cognitive theory to understand how certain behavioral patterns of teaching strategies in the content areas have been acquired and maintained. A questionnaire was developed to gather and analyze secondary teachers' responses. Descriptive statistics were used in order to provide summaries of the responses received from the questionnaire. The findings from the survey showed a belief that teaching experience was an essential element for the successful incorporation of reading skills in content area instruction. Four recommendations are made for improving secondary reading instruction: (1) intensify professional development opportunities, (2) provide additional research on reading strategies, (3) align professional development to curriculum, and (4) have colleges provide upcoming teachers with skills to teach reading. Social change may occur by using this information in preparing guidelines for teacher preparation in college and for developing effective professional development on content area reading. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]