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Narrowing the Third-Grade Reading Gap Resource Center

March 13, 2019

Students becoming proficient readers by third grade is one of the most important milestones in K-12 education as it marks the critical transition between learning to read and reading to learn. After this point, the ability to read becomes essential to successful learning in all other subjects.

Three-fourths of all students who do not read proficiently by 3rd grade will never reach full proficiency in future grades. These students are also less likely to attend college and to find living wage jobs later in life. It is clear that learning to read is a critical step in students’ development that helps set them up for successful futures. But it is not always clear to educators how to ensure that students reach this critical milestone.

Our District Leadership Forum has researched this topic thoroughly and has uncovered that science provides a blueprint for effective reading instruction. Explore the below research, tools, and resources to help you pursue the strategies and systems needed to address the reading skill gap.

Research & insights

Research Report

Narrowing the Third-Grade Reading Gap Research Brief

Explore our findings on the present challenges with reading instruction and demonstrated ways to improve reading outcomes.
District Leadership Forum
Infographic

How Our Brains Learn to Read

Early readers must develop certain parts of the brain and build connections between brain areas that were not…
District Leadership Forum
Tool

Design a Summer Reading Camp

Strong summer programming can narrow the achievement gap in reading. This toolkit is designed to help districts attract…
District Leadership Forum
Tool

The Science of Reading Implementation Guide

This toolkit offers a variety of resources, templates, and discussion guides to help districts develop and sustain expertise…
District Leadership Forum
Tool

Skills-Based Grouping Toolkit

Most districts use broad grouping metrics, such as reading levels, to organize students for small group reading instruction.…
District Leadership Forum

More Resources

Research Report

Hiring Top Talent

Faculty are the heart and soul of any school. But ad hoc processes and limited proactive recruitment mean…
Independent School Executive Forum
Infographic

The Art of Focused Feedback

Use the FOCUS feedback method to provide faculty with observations that are quick, clear, and actionable to improve…
Independent School Executive Forum
Tool

The Change Leader’s Toolkit

Successful process change requires strong project management skills. This toolkit will help your organization succeed in each step…
Independent School Executive Forum