For decades, too many U.S. students have struggled to reach the levels of reading proficiency needed for the rigors of secondary education, a trend exacerbated by the pandemic. With 70% of eighth graders unable to read proficiently, according to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the scope of the problem can be daunting, even in districts with higher levels of reading proficiency. District leaders understand that even a 90% reading proficiency rate falls short of the ultimate goal: ensuring that every student becomes a strong, capable reader with lifelong opportunities ahead.
Education leaders confronting the reality of low reading proficiency rely on strategic literacy plans grounded in well-established scientific principles of literacy instruction. These plans must incorporate robust assessment strategies that not only identify students’ specific learning needs but also drive appropriate intervention.
Assessment and the Decoding Threshold
Despite advancing through the grades, many students do not cross the decoding threshold, the point at which they have mastered foundational decoding skills (Wang et al., 2019). Fluency and, in turn, comprehension cannot be achieved until students have crossed the decoding threshold and can read individual words with automaticity. With the appropriate assessment, learning gaps related to decoding and other essential skills can be identified with precision, regardless of a student’s age or grade.
For example, it is reasonable to assume that a seventh grader who reads only 70 words correctly per minute on a fluency assessment may need support with decoding, while a student who reads 120 words correctly per minute but still struggles to fully understand the text may need support with comprehension and vocabulary. In both cases, assessment data provides critical insights for determining and meeting student needs.
It is important to note that a typical assessment focused on grade-level skills may have limited value for older students who have yet to master foundational skills such as decoding. Assessments may reveal gaps with comprehension and vocabulary, but if decoding issues are not properly assessed and identified, students will not receive the intended benefit from interventions targeted at more advanced literacy skills.
Data-Driven Improvement at the Student and System Level
To fulfill the potential of their literacy initiatives, school systems must begin with broad-based assessments that produce actionable information about each student’s learning gaps, including gaps in decoding skills. The data generated during this critical step enables educators to deliver the right interventions at the right time, while supporting more informed decision-making about resource allocation at the school and district level.
Success stories from schools, districts, and states serve as exemplars of systemwide improvement. In Louisiana, for example, the state’s national ranking for 8th grade reading proficiency rose from 45th place in the 2019 NAEP to 29th place in 2024. Education leaders there attribute this transformation to a statewide emphasis on foundational reading skills and a comprehensive literacy plan featuring a strong phonics component. Louisiana also leverages multiple reading assessments, including a statewide literacy screener to identify students at risk of reading difficulties.
The experience of Louisiana educators affirms that high-quality assessment data is a powerful tool for identifying learning needs and informing decisions about resource allocation and student placement. This enhanced understanding is key to the systemwide improvements needed to boost reading performance at the local level and, ultimately, to finally move our national reading scores in a positive direction.
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