Using testing data from 2.1 million students in 10,000 schools in 49 states (plus D.C.), we investigate the role of remote and hybrid instruction in widening gaps in achievement by race and school poverty. We find that remote instruction was a primary driver of widening achievement gaps. Math gaps did not widen in areas that remained in-person…

Past studies have found that in the elementary grades, females perform better in literacy achievement than their male counterparts when instruction is provided in an in-person learning environment. With the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, schools in the United States switched to a virtual instructional model. This study sought to determine if a…

In this case study, Katie Eichhorn, Kathy Gilbert, Myra Hall, Gretchen Lawyer, and Jill Nunez from Johnson STEAM Academy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, share data showing improved reading results after their first year of implementation of Sounds-Write, including a successful partnership with a local middle school to use Sounds-Write with Grade 7 students…

Little is known about what contributes to individual differences in reading fluency after accounting for accuracy. Previous research has shown individual differences in the relative growth in word and nonword reading, specifically a pattern in which students who start lower on reading grow more in word than nonword reading ability. The purpose of…

This study examines the impacts of two AmeriCorps programs, Minnesota Reading Corps and Wisconsin Reading Corps, where AmeriCorps volunteers provide literacy tutoring to at-risk kindergarten through third-grade (K-3) students utilizing a response-to-intervention framework. This evaluation replicates a prior randomized controlled trial evaluation…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions to teaching and learning. In March 2020, COVID-19 pandemic was recognized as a life-threatening virus, therefore, schools across the United States of America had an induced lockdown, which prevented the continuation of in-person learning. Adjustments, quickly, were made to the learning…

The purpose of this study was to determine if ongoing, sustained professional development in the area of reading resulted in an increase in student achievement on reading scores using i-Ready reading comprehension data. For the purpose of this study, students were divided into two groups: Group 1 was taught by teachers who received ongoing,…

In response to Tennessee's decades-long stagnant reading achievement levels, the Tennessee Literacy Success Act (TLSA) was enacted to ensure all Tennessee children will learn to read using a foundational literacy skills approach. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the TLSA legislation and its impact on educator preparation…

In response to Tennessee's decades-long stagnant reading achievement levels, the Tennessee Literacy Success Act (TLSA) was enacted to ensure all Tennessee children will learn to read using a foundational literacy skills approach. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the TLSA legislation and its impact on educator preparation…

The fifth-grade boys at an elementary school in Texas consistently perform lower than girls on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) reading portion. The gender gap in reading is not exclusive to this school. Boys score lower than girls on state-administered reading assessments each year in the United States (U.S.) and have…

We examined if North (n = 123) and South Korean (n = 123) children in Grades 3 to 8 studying in South Korea differ in their reading, vocabulary, and literacy-related cognitive skills, and whether language and literacy-related skills contribute to reading outcomes differently among North and South Korean children. The results showed that South…

This study tested a 5-year sequential mediation model linking paternal mind-mindedness in toddlerhood to child early academic achievement through a developmental process unfolding in the preschool years. A sample of 128 mostly White middle-class families (68 girls) living in Montreal, Canada was assessed for paternal mind-mindedness when children…

In this study, we examined relationships between learning environment characteristics (disciplinary climate, teacher support, and teacher feedback) and student outcomes (enjoyment of reading, and reading achievement) among 12,058 students from China who took part in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment. The results of structural…

Literacy is essential to the development of any nation. Despite foreign aid to support education initiatives in Africa, high rates of illiteracy persist. This synthesis examined the extent to which early literacy intervention research has been conducted in Africa and the effects of these interventions on reading outcomes for students in…

Reading difficulties have been associated with limited academic success and related social-emotional outcomes including anxiety and low motivation. Recent research on the educational impact of the COVID-19 pandemic indicates that children with poor reading skills were disproportionally disadvantaged. This growing number of students experiencing…