Adolescence is a crucial period in a child’s development and education. By that time—if the schooling system has done its job well—students in grades 4 through 8 will be strong readers who are able to decode, comprehend, recall and think critically about the content they are reading in their classwork. Yet too many students reach their preteen and even teen years unable to read proficiently for their grade level.
This can have devastating effects on their academic performance, self-esteem and future prospects in life.
In this blog post, we’ll share the latest research and explore effective strategies state policymakers are using to promote adolescent literacy. These strategies can empower students to become confident, proficient readers—wherever they are in their education journeys.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), one-third of eighth-grade students in the U.S. are reading below the “basic” level.
In fact, NAEP results show no statistically significant improvement in eighth-grade reading scores in 30 years, since 1992. Clearly, something is broken within the American education system.
The impact of literacy on other areas of learning is undeniable. Research has shown that students who struggle with reading are more likely to experience difficulties in other subjects, such as math, science and social studies.
When reading challenges persist into adulthood, research has shown an overlap between low literacy rates and populations that are at-risk for unemployment, low educational attainment and lack of access to healthcare.
That’s why it’s so crucial for state policymakers to focus not only on early literacy but also on adolescent literacy. Effective strategies do exist that target interventions for older struggling students who are unable to read yet have been promoted through the education system. By intervening and equipping these students with the literacy skills they need to succeed, policymakers, educators and parents can unlock every student’s full potential and pave the way for a brighter future.
The data speak volumes, and we can see these troubling trends reinforced on social media. Several videos of American middle school teachers went viral as they shared just how difficult it is trying to teach math, science, social studies and other subjects when their students can’t read the instructions in their classwork.
It’s no surprise that pandemic-related disruptions in education played a part. The data on the effects of the pandemic on children’s learning are clear.
Students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, experienced declines in reading proficiency and academic achievement during the pandemic. The disruptions to in-person instruction, lack of access to resources and support and increased stress and anxiety all played a role in compounding existing learning gaps that have existed for decades.
How exactly did this happen? A combination of factors is likely to have contributed to the nation’s current adolescent literacy problems.
First, there may have been gaps in foundational literacy instruction during the earlier grades that have now become more apparent in middle school. This is especially likely in states that have not adopted a comprehensive early literacy law to ensure students are taught using evidence-based instruction and high-quality instructional materials.
Additionally, the challenges of disrupted learning during the pandemic exacerbated existing learning gaps and likely hindered students’ progress in reading. Also, if a state has not prioritized teacher training and professional development grounded in evidence-based literacy instruction, its teachers may not have been prepared to address the needs of all students, particularly those struggling.
Without screening and parent notification policies in place, it’s possible parents may not fully understand or recognize the signs of reading difficulties. Literacy policies that require identification of struggling readers through screeners—followed by parental notification regarding their child’s results on those screeners and what supports they may need—are crucial so that parents can be a part of the solution.
Without a doubt, parents and educators experienced their own challenges during the pandemic, such as working from home while trying to facilitate kids’ learning, dealing with family crises, overcoming illness and more. That time was rough for many, but now that those challenges are mostly behind us, ensuring solid communication about students’ academic progress and how parents and guardians can help at home is an important piece of solving the literacy puzzle.
It’s worth noting that states with evidence-backed early literacy policies yield strong results when it comes to improving reading proficiency among students beyond the third grade. Early literacy is the first crucial step to preventing adolescent illiteracy in the first place.
Florida and Mississippi are two standout states in reading achievement because of their focused early literacy efforts and positive results.
Florida’s comprehensive approach to early literacy, including initiatives like Just Read, Florida!, led to significant improvements in reading proficiency. Since implementing these policies more than two decades ago, Florida has consistently demonstrated upward trends in NAEP scores for students’ reading proficiency. On average, struggling third-grade readers in Florida who repeated third grade and received an extra year of learning and the interventions they needed experienced significant gains later on in eighth-grade math and reading. They also were more likely to graduate high school.
The state’s commitment to early intervention, professional development for educators and targeted support for struggling readers, including literacy coaches, has contributed to these positive outcomes.
Following Florida’s model, Mississippi’s concentrated efforts to address early literacy challenges have also yielded promising results. Through the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, Mississippi prioritized early identification, intervention and literacy support for students, particularly in the crucial transition from third grade to fourth grade. As a result, the state has seen improvements in its reading proficiency levels, according to NAEP data, reflecting the effectiveness of its policies and programs.
But what about the students across the nation who, without the safety net provided by comprehensive policy, fall through the cracks? Or the students who are below grade level and are moved along in the system anyway?
It is crucial for states to target support and interventions in the middle grades that can transform those students’ educational journeys for the better. If not, a whole generation of kids will make it to adulthood illiterate and, frankly, be tough to employ in the workforce of today.
To help with this middle school reading crisis, a good adolescent literacy policy extends its focus beyond third grade with proven strategies aimed at students in grades 4-8.
Here’s a breakdown of what a solid adolescent literacy policy should entail:
In a nutshell: Strong adolescent literacy model policy is a comprehensive framework aimed at closing middle schoolers’ reading gaps through evidence-based instruction, intervention and support systems. Further, it should build on a comprehensive early literacy policy aimed at catching and preventing these struggles in the first place.
It’s important to note that there are some key differences between early literacy and adolescent literacy policies and implementation.
While it’s never too late to learn to read, it becomes increasingly more challenging after the primary years.
Sometimes, students aren’t flagged as struggling readers in middle school because of inconsistent use of screeners. Even after students are identified, many teachers in the middle grades are considered content experts, and they teach subjects such as English, math or science. Few have the preparation necessary to identify and support students who lack foundational reading skills. In addition to those challenges, few materials are designed to interest adolescents who are learning to read.
Lastly, school leaders must rethink scheduling in middle school. Often, schedules in grades 4-8 include core content courses and electives but do not intentionally allow time for struggling readers to receive the support and interventions they need to catch up.
Since the pandemic, two states—Virginia and Indiana—have enacted adolescent literacy policies.
Virginia’s adolescent literacy policy specifically targets struggling 4-8 grade readers. Legislative champion Delegate Carrie Coyner, a school parent and former school board member, started this work with the Virginia Literacy Act, targeting grades K-3, then expanded it the following year to serve grades 4-8.
Delegate Coyner mentioned on an ExcelinEd in Action podcast that good public policy, good communication and good-faith bipartisan collaboration were key to the legislation’s success.
“You know, folks knew this wasn’t a Republican trying to take credit for something. It wasn’t a Democrat trying to take credit for something,” she said. “It was: We all need to work together. This is going to make a difference. It’s going to be hard to effect change, and so we all need to be 100% together. We were able to accomplish that.”
Indiana policymakers succeeded as well. During the 2024 legislative session, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a comprehensive early literacy law and an adolescent literacy policy—making Indiana the second state to enact legislation post-pandemic targeted at helping struggling middle school readers.
Bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Raatz worked closely with the Indiana Department of Education to find effective solutions, no matter the potential growing pains.
“[Adolescent literacy] is something we took very seriously,” Sen. Raatz said. “We battled the understanding that, if we don’t get it right, those kids likely will suffer the rest of their life in their ability to find employment that is meaningful and, even a step higher than that, employment that fits what I would categorize as what they were really designed to do—whether that’s on to a four-year degree or to a master’s or a doctorate to become a physician or to learn a skill.”
It’s important to note that both states are in the process of implementing comprehensive policy to support students in grades K-3. They enacted their adolescent literacy policies to create a continuum and ensure students in middle grades can strengthen their reading skills and get the support they need. Over time, strong early literacy policies are designed to yield strong middle school learners.
The evidence of an adolescent literacy crisis in America is undeniable, but it’s not all doom and gloom. There are scientifically proven strategies that can bring those struggling readers up to grade level and change their academic and life trajectory. It is not too late.
Two states are leading the way with strong policies that prioritize early literacy at the same time as they identify learning deficiencies, track progress, provide resources and properly support 4-8 grade students who struggle to read. Many more states are forging ahead with effective early literacy strategies that are essential for long-term success. All state policymakers should look to these success stories and become fierce advocates for evidence-based early and adolescent literacy policy. Our nation’s future depends on it.
