Research shows that children who are not proficient early readers are at risk of poor social, educational, and economic outcomes. Identifying students who may be at risk of reading difficulty and proactively intervening with instructional supports ensures that all students have the foundational skills needed to be successful readers. However, little information has been available about the performance of younger students given that formal ELA testing starts in grade 3.

This report provides the first-ever large-scale information about early literacy performance and progress of students in grades K–3 in Massachusetts based on data collected in 2020-22 by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). It offers preliminary analyses on:

  • How well the data represent students in grades K–3 in the Commonwealth
  • The different early literacy screening assessments in use and how their benchmarks compare
  • Initial information about student performance and progress, with an additional look at English learner students

Key Insights

  • While over half of students can be classified as at risk at least once during the school year, the percentage who are always at risk is much smaller.
  • Analysis of student performance across time periods within the school year shows that students identified as at risk can and do get back on track. Effective interventions and supports can make a difference, including for English learner students.
  • The report offers information about numbers of students classified as at any level of risk, “significant risk” and/or risk of dyslexia at the beginning, middle, and end of the year, and students classified as at risk once or more than once. It also examines differences in classification rates for different student groups.
  • The screening assessments vary in how they were designed, how they are administered, and how they define risk of reading difficulty. Not all include several levels of risk. Students take these assessments several times per year. These factors mean that multiple methods are used to calculate numbers of students at risk of reading difficulty and that the meaning of “risk” can differ across assessments.
  • The research questions and analyses will be refined over time. With each school year, more data will be available for longitudinal analysis and will enable deeper consideration of topics.

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