North Carolina’s Literacy Program Sees Significant Gains Among K-3 Students
In a major development for early literacy in North Carolina, recent data reveals that K-3 students are making notable strides in reading proficiency and closing the racial achievement gap. These findings, presented to the State Board of Education, highlight the effectiveness of the state’s science-based reading initiatives.
The latest results from the DIBELS 8 (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment indicate that North Carolina students in grades 1-3 have outperformed their national counterparts, with consistent improvements observed in grades K-3.
Significantly, this year marks a milestone as Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students in North Carolina have exceeded the national reading benchmarks for the first time. Within the state, the reading achievement gap between these groups and their White and Asian peers has also narrowed.
Although North Carolina kindergarteners typically begin the academic year trailing behind their national peers, data from the past three years shows they surpass them after receiving instruction rooted in the science of reading over one or two years.
Since the 2021-22 academic year, over 44,000 educators have completed the K-5 or early childhood Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS®) professional development course, amassing more than 6.5 million hours of training.
LETRS provides K-3 teachers with tools grounded in decades of literacy research. The final cohort of teachers concluded their LETRS training this June.
State Superintendent Catherine Truitt acknowledged the positive impact of these efforts, saying, “We are not used to seeing this kind of growth in second and third grades, in particular. If you look at the cohort of students who started kindergarten in 2022-23, only 28 percent started school on track in literacy. By this year, when they’re in second grade, the percentage of those same students ready for grade-level work has nearly doubled.” Truitt expressed confidence in continued student growth as educators gain more experience with the science of reading.
Students in grades K-3 undertake the DIBELS 8 assessment thrice annually to track their reading development. The data reveals that 48,189 fewer students are below benchmark at the start of the 2024-25 school year compared to 2021-22. Additionally, 57,449 more students are now at or above benchmark levels.
The number of students classified as “reading retained” — those not proficient in reading by the end of third grade — has dropped by more than 40 percent during the same period.
Comparing data from 2021-22, there is an 8 percent increase in Black students and a 9 percent increase in American Indian/Alaska Native students achieving “on track” status by 2024-25. White and Asian students also saw gains of 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively.
Despite these improvements, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic students still lag behind their White and Asian peers. Amy Rhyne, director of the Office of Early Learning at the Department of Public Instruction, anticipates further progress as students and teachers adapt to the science of reading.
Rhyne commented, “As with any new initiative, there is a learning curve for educators and students as they adjust to this new, research-backed approach to literacy. Completing the LETRS training provided a strong foundation upon which our teachers can build better outcomes for students.” She likened the foundation of literacy skills to the beginning stages of constructing a house, emphasizing the importance of building on this strong base for future student success.
Read More Here
