The Achievement Effects of Scaling Early Literacy Reforms

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
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
Be the first to leave a comment!
You must be logged in first