Study Finds Positive Results from Focused Reading Instruction

Study finds that California schools received positive results from a focused investment in reading instruction following the pandemic learning loss.

This story was covered in both the New York Times as well as the Hechinger Report.

As a result of the profound learning loss following the pandemic, many policymakers and educators have been searching for impactful and cost-effective ways to fill the learning gap. A recently released study indicates effective results from a reading program in California that aimed to train teachers in the science of reading, focusing on foundational skills including phonics, comprehension, and vocabulary.

The program was implemented following a $53 million “right-to-read” legal settlement stemming from poor reading instruction in California. It was positioned within approximately 70 low-performing schools and resulted in increased test scores for third graders in 2022 and 2023. The researchers equated these increases to an extra 25% of a learning year. The program’s annual cost came to about $1,000 per student, which went to retraining teachers and administrators, as well as supplying classrooms with materials better supported by cognitive research.

Overall, this research suggests that carefully cultivated science-of-reading reforms can be effective without changing grade-retention policies and offers hope that similar programs can be implemented in other districts. The right-to-read settlement also poses a possible blueprint for how to implement evidence-based instruction in more classrooms.