Across the country, reading scores have stagnated—and that’s not the whole story. Alongside low overall reading achievement, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (2024) revealed that the gap between higher-achieving and lower-achieving students is quietly widening. For district and school leaders committed to a vision of every student becoming a confident, capable reader, this trend demands both attention and action.
By focusing on strong leadership and three targeted strategies, districts can begin closing the literacy gap and can help move every student forward.
Strategy #1: Identify the Root-Cause Issue to Match Students with the Right Intervention
Effective intervention begins with understanding why a student is struggling. The Simple View of Reading, grounded in the science of reading, reminds us that comprehension is the product of both decoding and language comprehension (Gough and Tunmer, 1986). In other words, students must be able to read the individual words on the page (decoding) and understand what those words mean (language comprehension).
Recent research underscores the importance of students crossing the decoding threshold—the point at which foundational decoding skills are strong enough that word reading becomes automatic (Wang, et al., 2018). Once students reach this point, they can shift their mental energy from sounding out words to making meaning from the text. Therefore, for students in third grade and beyond, a critical question is: “Have they crossed the decoding threshold?”
Oral reading fluency (ORF) data can help. A student reading below 100 words correct per minute likely needs decoding-focused intervention to cross the decoding threshold. If fluency data is unavailable, tools like EPS Learning’s Decoding Threshold Quick Check can assist educators.
Consider data when matching intervention to student needs:
- If a student is not yet fluent, consider providing support in decoding, orthographic mapping, and oral reading fluency development.
- If oral reading is fluent but comprehension is weak, consider targeting vocabulary, background knowledge, and/or explicit instruction in comprehension skills and strategies.
If both decoding and language comprehension are weak, decoding-focused intervention must come first. Research has clarified that students must cross the decoding threshold before they can fully benefit from comprehension-focused intervention (Wang et al., 2018).
Strategy #2: Support Teachers in Delivering Evidence-Based Interventions
Even the strongest intervention is only as effective as its implementation. To drive positive outcomes, teacher support for a successful launch and ongoing implementation is crucial.
Professional learning, coaching, and mentoring all help to build confidence and enable fidelity of implementation. Additionally, leaders can embed support systems for regular check-ins, peer collaboration, and review and reflection. When teachers are supported and appreciated, and student progress is celebrated, measurable student growth typically follows.
Strategy #3: Use Assessment Data to Drive Real-Time Adjustments
While summative assessments enable a looking back on what has been achieved, formative assessments can provide real-time insights to inform next steps. Encourage teachers to use data they’re already gathering to evaluate skill mastery—running records, digital platforms, or exit tickets—and adjust instruction as needed. Help them build feedback loops in which instruction informs assessment, and vice versa. It can also be helpful to invest in spiraled curricula that reinforce learning and skill mastery by design.
A Path Forward
District and school leaders are in a strong position to drive change. By identifying root causes of reading challenges, equipping teachers with the tools their students need, and embedding data-driven responsiveness into instruction, leaders can help close achievement gaps and support students on their paths to lifelong literacy and success.
Across the country, reading scores have stagnated—and that’s not the whole story. Alongside low overall reading achievement, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (2024) revealed that the gap between higher-achieving and lower-achieving students is quietly widening. For district and school leaders committed to a vision of every student becoming a confident, capable reader, this trend demands both attention and action.
By focusing on strong leadership and three targeted strategies, districts can begin closing the literacy gap and can help move every student forward.
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