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The Achievement Effects of Scaling Early Literacy Reforms

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Title: The Achievement Effects of Scaling Early Literacy Reforms
Language: English
Authors: Sarah Novicoff (ORCID 0009-0007-4105-1962), Thomas S. Dee (ORCID 0000-0001-7524-768X)
Source: Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 2026 48(2):589-612.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Grade 3
Primary Education
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Emergent Literacy, Educational Change, Educational Improvement, Low Achievement, School Effectiveness, English Instruction, Language Arts, Faculty Development, Reading Instruction, Grade 3, Educational Finance, Grants, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2
Geographic Terms: California
DOI: 10.3102/01623737251349178
ISSN: 0162-3737
1935-1062
Abstract: While legislators have implemented many "science of reading" initiatives in the last 2 decades, the evidence on the impact of these reforms at scale is limited. In this pre-registered, quasi-experimental study, we examine California's recent initiative to improve early literacy across the state's lowest-performing schools. The Early Literacy Support Block Grant (ELSBG) provided teacher professional development grounded in the science of reading as well as aligned supports (e.g., assessments and interventions), new funding (about $1,000 per student), spending flexibility within specified guidelines, and expert facilitation and oversight of school-based planning. Our preferred specification finds that ELSBG generated significant (and cost-effective) improvements in English Language Arts (ELA) achievement in its first years of implementation (0.14 standard deviation) as well as smaller improvements in math.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1505884
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Achievement Effects of Scaling Early Literacy Reforms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Novicoff%22">Sarah Novicoff</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4105-1962">0009-0007-4105-1962</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thomas+S%2E+Dee%22">Thomas S. Dee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-768X">0000-0001-7524-768X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Evaluation+and+Policy+Analysis%22"><i>Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis</i></searchLink>. 2026 48(2):589-612.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 24
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emergent+Literacy%22">Emergent Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Improvement%22">Educational Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Achievement%22">Low Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Effectiveness%22">School Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Instruction%22">English Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Arts%22">Language Arts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Instruction%22">Reading Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grants%22">Grants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.3102/01623737251349178
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  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 0162-3737<br />1935-1062
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: While legislators have implemented many "science of reading" initiatives in the last 2 decades, the evidence on the impact of these reforms at scale is limited. In this pre-registered, quasi-experimental study, we examine California's recent initiative to improve early literacy across the state's lowest-performing schools. The Early Literacy Support Block Grant (ELSBG) provided teacher professional development grounded in the science of reading as well as aligned supports (e.g., assessments and interventions), new funding (about $1,000 per student), spending flexibility within specified guidelines, and expert facilitation and oversight of school-based planning. Our preferred specification finds that ELSBG generated significant (and cost-effective) improvements in English Language Arts (ELA) achievement in its first years of implementation (0.14 standard deviation) as well as smaller improvements in math.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1505884
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        Value: 10.3102/01623737251349178
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 24
        StartPage: 589
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emergent Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: School Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: English Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Language Arts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Faculty Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 3
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
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      – SubjectFull: Grants
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      – SubjectFull: Kindergarten
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 1
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 2
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: California
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Achievement Effects of Scaling Early Literacy Reforms
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