Federal Literacy Grant Program Improves Reading Scores Of Black And Underserved Students In D.C.

Education officials noticed a jump in the reading scores for Black and underserved students in the program.

A literacy program has already proven its success with increased reading scores for Black and underserved students in Washington, D.C., schools.

A federally funded literacy grant program has reportedly boosted the reading levels of participating students across D.C. public charter schools. The program was enacted to address a systemic problem among this demographic, in which Black and poorer students in this school system read at a lower grade level than their counterparts.

According to the Washington Post, the program allotted $16 million for schools to provide reading improvement techniques in the classroom. Across a four-year period starting in 2021, over 17,000 children benefited from the program, which helped from pre-k onward.

The improvement techniques included books, equipment, and tutoring, as well as coaches to give feedback on performance. The results from the years-long initiative suggested that focused learning positively impacted students.

“The students that participated in this grant closed a third of the achievement gap in D.C.,” said State Superintendent of Education Antoinette Mitchell. “That is huge. It is so significant.”

The news outlet confirmed that students in participating schools scored 2.8 points above schools that they were initially 2.9 points behind, on average. Although these findings are not research-backed, the initial reports show that increased funding and dedication to these learning discrepancies could resolve them in the long-term.

An evaluation of these findings was initially underway, providing more substantive proof that the grant program directly yielded these results. However, the Department of Government Efficiency-induced cuts led to the termination of the program evaluation.

Despite this, D.C. schools still saw tremendous growth in reading comprehension, especially in younger grade levels. The implementation of curriculums that used the “science of reading” helped students as they matriculated to the next grade level. This holistic learning method incorporates phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, ensuring children are learning the full scope of the discipline.

“Teachers have to have a very clear understanding of the science of reading — that is, how kids learn to read,” Mitchell said. “They have to understand the connections that students are making as they move through [reading levels].”

This commitment to boosting children’s reading comprehension extended from administrators to teachers, as students received dedicated instruction that tackles these learning gaps at the root. Now, local education officials want to expand upon this success, with a bigger $25 million grant awarded in 2024.

With this continued rollout, they will expand the program to more schools, hoping to change the tide for all D.C. students to not only catch up, but also get ahead in reading.