State officials say North Carolina’s investment in early literacy is paying off.
New data presented to the State Board of Education shows that elementary school students continue to make significant improvements in their reading skills.
The stats show North Carolina students outpaced their peers on a national level in grades 1-3, while grades K-3 have shown steady improvement since standardized early literacy tested started in the 2021-22 school year.
In the two years since its implementation, officials say North Carolina’s first, second and third graders have made gains that are more than double those seen on the national level.
Despite having lower scores compared to the national average during that same timeframe, North Carolina kindergarteners have shown greater improvement than their peers across the country, with a growth rate of 6% versus 4% on the national level.
And in the year-end assessment for 2022-23, the percentage of kindergarten students who measured “on track” more than doubled – surpassing the national average.
