Data from Amplify’s end-of-year research brief for 2025–26 show that K–2 gains in reading readiness over the last five years have flattened. For the first time since the low point in 2020–21, overall reading readiness in the early grades has not improved from the prior year.
The data show that 66% of kindergarten, first, and second grade students are on track to learn to read, compared to 68% at the end of 2024–25. The percentage of K–2 students who are far behind in learning to read rose from 21% at the end of 2024–25 to 22% at the end of this school year.
A progress plateau
The percentage of kindergarteners who were at or above benchmark levels for reading was unchanged from 2024-25, and early reading proficiency for students in grades 1 and 2 decreased slightly:
- Kindergarten: 70% of students are at or above benchmark (no change from last year)
- First grade: 68% of students are at or above benchmark (-2% change from last year)
- Second grade: 64% of students are at or above benchmark (-1% change from last year)
Below benchmark percentages hold steady
The data show similar results for K–2 students who are far behind in learning to read. The percentage of kindergartners and second graders who were at risk for not learning to read was unchanged from EOY 2024–25; slightly more first graders were far behind.
- Kindergarten: 20% of students scored below or well below benchmark in learning to read (no change from last year).
- First grade: 20% of students scored below or well below benchmark (+1% change from last year).
- Second grade: 23% of students scored below or well below benchmark (unchanged from last year).
While the overall percentage of students on track to learn to read is eleven points higher than the pandemic low point in 2020–21, the plateau in gains is concerning.
To support early readers, educators need data-driven insights into student reading development and instructional practices that are grounded in the Science of Reading.
An approach that extends beyond the classroom
“As year-over-year literacy gains pause, it’s a call to look deeper into the mechanics of student growth and understanding,” said Susan Lambert, chief academic officer of literacy at Amplify and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. “Metrics like oral reading fluency show us where to target instruction and resources for the upcoming school year. That’s why meaningful data is everything; it equips schools with the insights needed to intervene as effectively as possible.”
Supporting all young readers requires a coordinated approach that extends beyond the classroom. Schools and districts must implement a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that aligns instruction, intervention, progress monitoring, and guidance and professional development for teachers.
Here are the steps schools should be taking:
- Investing in a reliable universal screener and administering benchmark assessments to all students three times per year, to monitor levels of risk for reading difficulties.
- Analyzing student data at individual, classroom, grade, and district levels, to identify needs and make instructional decisions that support all learners.
- Ensuring that all students receive grade-level instruction with proven, evidence-based effectiveness.
- Allocating resources to support students who are at risk, spending additional time in literacy intervention beyond grade-level instruction that addresses these students’ specific needs.
- Regularly monitoring progress for students at risk, making instructional adjustments based on their progress.
- Supporting instructional staff in gaining knowledge about the Science of Reading.
- Instilling a love of reading and books during all school-based programs, with the support of caregivers and the community.
Which of these steps feel most urgent in your community? Let’s keep the conversation going! Join the discussion in our Amplify learning communities.
Dive into the findings in our End of Year Report.
More to explore
Science of Reading: The Podcast
Beyond My Years podcast
An overview of the Science of Reading
Science of Reading: A New Teacher’s Guide ebook
