Every child deserves the opportunity to learn to read. Yet across the nation, two out of every five fourth graders cannot read at a basic level. Giving students access to teachers who use scientifically based reading instruction can deliver reading success to more than 90% of students.
Why High-Quality Reading Instruction Matters
Each year, roughly 1.3 million fourth-grade students are unable to read at a basic level—that’s nearly 40% of all fourth graders across the country. These rates climb tragically higher for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
Poor reading skills can negatively impact students’ graduation rates,1 career prospects,2 and lifetime earnings.3 However, research shows that with high-quality reading instruction, more than 90% of students can become proficient readers, transforming the outcomes for nearly 1 million children each year.4
Effective policies require preparing teachers in scientifically based reading instruction, providing ongoing support, and ensuring long-term financial resources to implement them. States that have improved literacy rates demonstrate the power of sustained commitment to teacher effectiveness. Policymakers must prioritize robust teacher preparation, implementation, and funding to ensure lasting literacy gains for all students.
Latest Findings
State of the States: Five Policy Actions to Strengthen Implementation of the Science of Reading
For states to succeed in their efforts to improve reading instruction, they must ensure teachers are prepared to implement and sustain scientifically based reading instruction. This report outlines five policy actions states can take to ensure a well-prepared teacher workforce that can implement and sustain the science of reading.
Twelve states (shaded dark blue) stand out for implementing policies and practices that build teacher effectiveness in reading: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
Unlocking a child’s potential begins with reading, yet many children in the United States cannot read at a basic level. This analysis reveals the extent to which over 700 teacher preparation programs prepare aspiring teachers to teach children to read.
Many states' licensure tests don't signal whether elementary teachers understand reading instruction
This analysis of the quality of reading licensure tests required for elementary teachers reveals some bright spots and strong test options used in some states, but also systematic weaknesses in the tests many states use to vet new teachers.
The states most successful in leveraging policy to improve reading outcomes for students have taken a cohesive and comprehensive approach. This action guide tells the stories of states taking five actions to implement strong reading policies.
Just as a strong curriculum supports student learning, the course materials used in teacher prep programs help ensure aspiring teachers are set on the right path. View expert reviews of over 1,000 instructional resources used in teacher prep reading courses.
Building students’ content knowledge is a critical linchpin to helping them become strong readers and creative problem solvers. Explore the Content Coverage Tool to see how elementary teacher prep programs cover key content essential for students in required coursework.
Chapman, C., Laird, J., Ifill, N., & Kewal Ramani, A. (2011). Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972-2009. Compendium Report. NCES 2012-006. National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/dropout/intro.asp#r4
Tamborini, C. R., Kim, C., & Sakamoto, A. (2015). Education and lifetime earnings in the United States. Demography, 52(4), 1383-1407.
Torgesen describes this finding in Torgesen, 2004. Specifically, the analyses he describes were based on the proportion of students reaching the “low average level” of word reading skills by second grade. While word reading is not the same as reading comprehension, it is a necessary precursor to comprehension, and measures of word reading fluency (and gains in that fluency) are predictive of broader student reading performance (Smith, J. L. M., Cummings, K. D., Nese, J. F., Alonzo, J., Fien, H., & Baker, S. K. (2014). The relation of word reading fluency initial level and gains with reading outcomes. School Psychology Review, 43(1), 30-40.). For more on studies finding that 90% or more of students can read with proper instruction, see: Torgesen, J. K. (2004). Preventing early reading failure. American Educator, 28(3), 6-9; Torgesen, J. K. (1998). Catch them before they fall: Identification and assessment to prevent reading failure in young children. American Educator, 22(1-2), 32-39. www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/torgesen.pdf; Lyon, G. R. (1998). Overview of reading and literacy initiatives (Report to Committee on Labor and Human Resources, U.S. Senate). Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Health. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED444128.pdf; Vellutino, F. R., Fletcher, J. M., Snowling, M. J., & Scanlon, D. M. (2004). Specific reading disability (dyslexia): What have we learned in the past four decades? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(1), 2-40. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.0021-9630.2003.00305x; Al Otaiba, S., & Fuchs, D. (2006). Who are the young children for whom best practices in reading are ineffective? An experimental and longitudinal study. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 39(5), 414-431.
