Teaching students to read proficiently is one of the main goals of K-12 education systems.
By the end of third grade, students need foundational literacy skills to meet the academic demands in subsequent grades. Starting in fourth grade, there is less emphasis on learning how to read and more emphasis on reading to learn. Students in upper elementary and middle school who cannot read and comprehend texts miss out on gaining key academic knowledge across all subjects needed for success in future grades and are at higher risk for dropping out of high school. According to data from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, about two thirds of fourth and eighth grade students are not proficient readers.
The good news is that it is not too late for students beyond third grade to become better readers. With the right instruction and evidence-based interventions, students in upper elementary and middle school can improve their reading skills.
State Level Strides in Improving Literacy
States recognize the need to improve curricula, human capital and systems that support reading proficiency. Since 2019, 45 states have passed legislation to improve literacy assessment, instruction and intervention. And, in 42 states, this legislation includes language about serving students beyond third grade.
Here is a look at policies states are enacting to bring evidence-based practices into use in K-3 and considerations for how to expand these evidence-based practices to better serve students beyond third grade.
Evidence-Based Interventions Delivered by Highly Trained Educators
Students in upper elementary and middle school who need help in reading can benefit from supplemental reading interventions that occur in addition to reading instruction in their English language arts classes. To identify students for supplemental reading interventions, states are mandating the use of universal screeners, or tests administered to all students at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. This assessment schedule allows educators to identify students who are at risk in reading for supplemental reading interventions at multiple times during the school year — not just after a spring state standardized test.
Once identified, students need supplementary reading interventions that are evidence-based. Many states — like Arizona, Colorado and Mississippi — use a vetting process to produce lists of approved reading interventions that meet evidence requirements.
While these approved lists can be helpful, they are not always tailored to the needs of students beyond third grade. These students require interventions that are aligned with their unique needs, developmentally appropriate and engaging. Additionally, these students may require a more intensive dosage and smaller group sizes to catch up to peers. Students can also benefit when the intervention’s pace matches their progress. Some students may need a slower pace to master foundational skills. Other students may proceed at a more rapid pace that allows them to make more than one year’s worth of academic growth in a single school year.
These decisions about content, dosage, group size and pacing require highly effective educators who have sufficient training and coaching on the science of reading and can use progress monitoring data to inform instructional decisions. States — like Michigan and North Carolina — are investing in training for educators offering reading instruction and intervention.
Policy Considerations
Literacy legislation in many states is primarily focused on K-3 students. However, some states — like Virginia and Indiana — are creating policies that mandate universal assessments or provide guidance on selection of evidence-based interventions appropriate for students in upper elementary or middle school. Because of the prevalence of older students who were not performing proficiently in reading post pandemic in Virginia, legislators expanded requirements in the Virginia Literacy Act so that districts now must provide reading supports for students in grades four through eight in addition to those in K-3. Similarly, Indiana currently has a Senate bill that would require the identification of students in grades 4-8 who are at risk in reading and the provision of support for those students. States can consider following Virginia and Indiana’s examples to better meet the needs of upper elementary and middle school students.
Likewise, states can consider funding for intervention delivery beyond third grade. Many schools used Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding to purchase intervention programs, staff reading interventions and support reading coaches. Districts may scramble to support the implementation of reading interventions in upper elementary and middle school grades when this funding disappears this year.
