New research brief: K–2 early literacy improvements offer hope, but persistent challenges remain.

Amplify’s research brief on the latest K–2 middle-of-school-year literacy data reveals encouraging gains in early reading, particularly among the nation’s youngest students. This year’s kindergarten cohort has returned to pre-pandemic literacy readiness levels. But overall progress remains slow: Only 56% of students are on track for learning to read, and 29% of students are far behind.

Middle-of-year data can help schools plan for instructional changes and implement those changes before the following school year. See the report’s recommendations for actions schools and districts can take now.

Download the research brief

A woman leans over to assist a young girl with her reading and writing at a table in a classroom, with two colored squares overlaid in the foreground.

Explore Amplify’s middle-of-year research brief.

Bar chart showing the percent of kindergarten students on track, with values 55, 38, 47, 52, 54, and 55. Highest and lowest percentages are 55% and 38%.

How many students are on track to learn to read?

While all grades across K–2 show signs of year-over-year progress, with more students on-track for learning to read than there were in 2023–24, broader literacy gains remain slow, with a little more than half of students across early grades (K–2) on track for core reading instruction.

Bar chart showing the percent of kindergarten students far behind: 29%, 47%, 37%, 32%, 30%, and 29% across six groups.

How many students are at risk for not learning to read?

All grades across K–2 show the percentage of students at the greatest risk for not learning to read decreasing year-over-year. While fewer students are considered far behind today than in 2023–24, more than a quarter of students across grades K–2 are at the greatest risk for not learning to read.

Table showing student progress categories, average change, and percentages of targeted students with at least 5 or 6 months' progress. Some cells are highlighted in green and red.

Take a deeper dive into progress monitoring.

Progress monitoring—identifying, supporting, and tracking outcomes—is one strategy schools can engage in when working with students who are the most at-risk for not learning to read.

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Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) se enorgullece de ofrecer Amplify Caminos, una auténtica solución de artes del lenguaje en español.

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) es un programa de artes del lenguaje para los grados PreK-5 que combina un enfoque multisensorial de la fonética con textos enriquecidos cuidadosamente secuenciados para desarrollar el conocimiento del contenido.

Amplify ELA ayuda a los niños de 6.º a 8.º grado a leer y comprender textos complejos, animándolos a lidiar con ideas interesantes y encontrar relevancia para ellos mismos.

Dos personas manipulan símbolos matemáticos en una balanza mientras equilibran un conjunto de globos y pesas, ilustrando un concepto matemático en un entorno conceptual vibrante.

Amplify Desmos Math es un plan de estudios básico de matemáticas creado desde jardín de infantes hasta Álgebra 1.

Amplify Science es un plan de estudios atractivo para los grados K-8 diseñado por expertos del Lawrence Hall of Science de UC Berkeley.

Boost Lectura es un programa basado en la Ciencia de la Lectura creado para acelerar la alfabetización en español para estudiantes de K-2. Leer más.

Illustration of a colorful, stylized map showing various buildings, roads, trees, and icons with people engaged in different reading activities or roles related to the science of reading.

Boost Reading le brinda a su hijo la oportunidad de aprender y practicar habilidades de alfabetización dentro de un mundo de historias atractivo que se adapta a cada estudiante a medida que avanza en el programa.

mCLASS es un sistema de evaluación e instrucción que ayuda a medir el desarrollo de alfabetización y matemáticas de su hijo. Ayuda a determinar dónde se encuentra su hijo en su viaje de lectura y matemáticas. Leer más.

Collage de escenas e íconos educativos: arriba a la izquierda, símbolo de "labios"; medio, niño estudiando en clase; arriba a la derecha, logotipo "in" dentro del bocadillo; abajo a la izquierda,

mCLASS® Lectura es un evaluador universal para K-6 que ayuda a los educadores a acelerar el crecimiento en lectura de los estudiantes de habla hispana. Leer más.

Amplify Tutoring ofrece programas de tutoría de alto impacto alineados con ESSA para complementar los esfuerzos de los estudiantes, educadores y familias de K-6 para desarrollar la competencia y la confianza en la lectura.

Crack the code with literacy skills instruction that works.

The Amplify CKLA Skills program helps establish strong reading foundations in your K–2 classrooms. Students practice reading and communicating every day. Their literacy skills grow alongside their confidence.

Amplify CKLA Skills is grounded in Science of Reading research and was the first foundational skills program to earn all-green scores on EdReports. Read the review.

Request a sample

Online educational content with unit overview and illustrated activity book for kids featuring playful animals.

Perfect for any literacy block.

Use the powerful foundational literacy skills in Amplify CKLA Skills to supplement your core English Language Arts (ELA) program with focused lessons that fit any literacy block.

Interested in the full curriculum, including knowledge building? Explore the comprehensive Amplify CKLA program.

“Amplify CKLA Skills helped us have systematic phonics so that we could make sure we were doing the direct teaching that our students needed. We’re seeing that, over time, we don’t have to fill in those gaps because they’re not actually created in the first place.”

Heidi

Academic Director, Exceed Charter School

Our approach

Starting with sounds, students practice their phonemic awareness, handwriting skills, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. They become aware of the connection between reading and writing, building confidence along the way.

Teacher assisting four young students with reading tasks at a table in a classroom with educational posters on the wall.

Illustration showing the progression: start with sound "a," build to phoneme "/ae/," then crack the code with sounds schwa, /u/, /i/, growing in complexity. Word "bake" highlighted.

Explicit, systematic instruction that works for students and teachers

Amplify CKLA Skills’ research-based scope and sequence progresses from simple to more complex skill development, starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction guides you in explicitly teaching the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, with an intentional progression and review of skills to set your students up for success.

Daily 60-minute lessons cover all skills standards.

Instruction includes print and phonological awareness, sound-letter patterns, decoding and encoding, writing mechanics, and writing structure and processes. Ready-made presentation slides help you effectively deliver each lesson.

image of foundational literacy skills by year for CKLA Skills

Four illustrated book covers: various animals at a zoo, a woman and child walking, two girls at a market, and a cat with a mask and sack. Titles: "The Green Fern Zoo," "The Job Hunt," "Kay and Martez," "The Cat Bandit.

Decodable readers help students crack the code.

Amplify CKLA readers are 100 percent decodable, which means they include only words with letter-sound correspondences that have been explicitly taught. The readers are colorful fiction and nonfiction chapter books that kids love! In Grades K–1, visual supports such as underlined and bolded text scaffold students, while Big Book versions may be used for teacher modeling. Readers are also available as audio-enhanced e-books.

Learn more about the decodable readers here.

Amplify CKLA Skills was the first foundational skills program to earn all-green scores on EdReports.

Read the review

What’s included

Amplify CKLA Skills includes engaging print and digital materials for comprehensive and effective learning.

Two children are sitting on the floor, reading books. One wears a red shirt, the other a colorful sweater. Other children are seated in the background.

A tablet displaying a presentation titled "Let's Focus on Skills" with an illustration of books and icons. Behind it, partially visible screens with text and a graduation cap illustration.

High-quality teacher materials

Amplify CKLA Skills teachers effectively deliver instruction with print and digital resources, including:

Teacher Guides with embedded differentiation.
Formal and informal assessments.
Ready-made and customizable lesson slides.
Teacher resources and on-demand professional development.

Immersive student resources

Amplify CKLA Skills students stay engaged with a variety of print and digital resources, including:

Original decodables and read-aloud Big Books.
Student Activity Books with embedded assessments.
A digital Sound Library with recordings, animated videos, and fun karaoke-style songs.

Educational materials with activities: a worksheet about "The Sweet Shop," a Skills booklet with a bicycle cover, Snap Shots reading material, and a digital phonics interface with a cartoon character.

Person wearing an orange shirt speaking. Speech bubble in upper right corner reads, "Let's say it together!" Green section at bottom shows two stylized letter "O"s.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources help students practice key skills using fun, varied approaches that build independence.

Chaining Folder (K)
Letter Cards (K–1)
Spelling Cards (2)
Syllable Cards (K–2)
Image Cards (K–3)
Blending Picture Cards (K)
Consonant and Vowel Code Flip Books (1–2)
Exclusive digital Sound Library

Robust digital experience

Amplify CKLA Skills teacher and student resources are available through a digital experience platform that enhances instruction and saves you time. With everything you need in one place, you can effectively plan lessons, present content, and review student work.

Ready-made yet customizable lesson presentation slide decks
Dynamic live-review student tool
Interactive and student-friendly experience
LMS integration
Recorded Read-Alouds
Professional development website
Real-time program support via email, live chat, and phone

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Immerse your Arkansas middle school students in close reading.

Middle school students are learning to immerse themselves in text—and learning to articulate what resonates and matters to them in what they read. Boost Close Reading is an immersive supplemental reading program that engages students through an interactive graphic novel. With high-interest storytelling and guided instruction, the program motivates middle schoolers to question what they read, think critically, and build the close reading skills that will ensure success in high school and beyond.

In this future, reading is adventure.

Each student’s journey through this action-packed world depends on their ability to read literary and informational texts critically. Boost Close Reading develops a deep understanding of essential middle school skills—such as identifying the parts of a valid argument—that will prepare them for success in high school and in the broader world.

And every student can be the hero.

Every chapter provides integrated instruction, guided close reading, and a creative application. You set the difficulty level for each student. Assign English Learners and struggling readers to the Extra Support path. When they’re ready, switch them back to the Core Path.

Science of Reading resources hub

The Science of Reading is complex, so your understanding of it should be, too. That’s why our resource pages break it all down for you, from word recognition and comprehension to dyslexia and Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports. Equip yourself with the knowledge you need to make the greatest difference to your students!

Select a resource:

Amplify’s Science of Reading overview

Learn the ins and outs of the Science of Reading—what it means, and why its principles matter.

LEARN MORE

Science of Reading FAQ

Get early literacy guidance with our Science of Reading FAQ.

LEARN MORE

Science of Reading: The Podcast

Listen to the latest insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading.

LEARN MORE

Science of Reading programs

Achieve next-level literacy growth with a cohesive Science of Reading suite.

EXPLORE NOW

Science of Reading success stories

We’ve helped thousands of Science of Reading champions make the shift, and they’re eager to share the secrets of their long-term success with fellow educators like you.

LEARN MORE

Science of Reading webinars

Get on-demand professional development to build and refine your toolkit of Science of Reading resources and instructional practices.

WATCH NOW

Science of Reading Star Awards

Nominate a literacy changemaker for our prestigious Science of Reading Star Awards!

LEARN MORE

Science of Reading data and MTSS

Fortify your Science of Reading implementation using essential data and a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

LEARN MORE

Change management

Educational change doesn’t happen overnight, or by itself. We’ll walk you through the process to help you make literacy success a lasting reality in your classroom.

LEARN MORE

Knowledge building

Learn the ins and outs of the Science of Reading—what it means, and why its principles matter.

LEARN MORE

Dyslexia and the Science of Reading

Discover how assessment and instruction grounded in the Science of Reading helps identify children at risk of developing dyslexia at the earliest possible moments, creating the widest opportunity for intervention.

LEARN MORE

Science of Reading professional development course

Learn everything you need to know about Science of Reading instruction with Amplify’s Chief Academic Officer and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast Susan Lambert.

ENROLL NOW

The Science of Writing

Explore the Science of Writing, and how you can use it with the Science of Reading to unlock life-changing literacy outcomes.

LEARN MORE

Powerful, personalized reading instruction that engages students and saves teachers time

Boost Reading is our personalized reading program for grades K–5. Its captivating storylines engage students in powerful reading instruction and practice. Whether students are learning to read fluently or sharpening their comprehension skills, Boost Reading accelerates their growth while freeing educators up to work with small groups or individual students.

Science of Reading-based support for every student

Students come to school with a range of abilities and achieve mastery at different rates. Providing each learner with the specific support they need to progress can be challenging. Enter Boost Reading’s personalized reading literacy program.

“Your team has taken a weight off my shoulders and I am so grateful and can’t thank you enough! My biggest concern during this time was how can I keep pushing my readers at their level—and giving them what they need—and Boost Reading solved that.”

Jeanine

2nd-grade teacher, Chicago, IL

“This program is extremely engaging and interactive for each student. They begged to get on Boost Reading and they cried when it was time to log off! This program is a great addition to our curriculum.”

Brittany

2nd grade teacher, Utah

“My students love the program, and they don’t even realize they are learning some tough concepts. Their reading scores are improving even since the beginning of the year.”

Amber

Junior High ELA teacher, California

Our approach

Leveraging compelling storytelling and the latest research, Boost Reading helps students achieve true mastery of the concepts they need to become strong, life long readers. See the research behind the program.

More than a digital worksheet

Built on the Science of Reading, Boost Reading offers a fresh, modern program that builds on student strengths while adapting to their needs.

A program students love

Boost Reading offers an out-of-this world learning experience for students. The program’s age-appropriate narratives create a learning experience that leaps off the screen.

The right experience for every student

The program meets all students where they are with powerful individualized instruction and practice, enabling student growth at all reading levels.

Proven results

Boost Reading works. Efficacy studies show significant growth for students using Boost Reading. In as little as 30 minutes a week, Boost Reading accelerates growth for all students and helps multilingual learners close the gap with their peers. Learn more here.

Free white paper

Comprehension processes: The missing link in reading comprehension

Download now

Program highlights

Full adaptivity

Students of Boost Reading use digital texts that adapt to their needs via an adaptive algorithm that unlocks each book at the exact right point in a reader’s development.

Personalized instruction

Boost Reading adapts to each reader’s unique needs across 13 skill areas, sending students on their own personalized reading journey. The programs offer both remediation and enrichment through a comprehensive range of instruction—from foundational skills to comprehension to close reading.

Engagement engineering

Using the science behind engagement and motivation, Boost Reading is built to deliver compelling narrative experiences that speak to students’ stories of growth and development. This personal connection allows students to directly map their progress in the storyline to their reading effort and growth, helping them understand the value of effort and practice.

Based on the Science of Reading

Boost Reading is built on the latest research in the Science of Reading. It provides the explicit, systematic foundational skills essential for every student—and it goes beyond. It’s the only program that focuses on the things our brain does while we’re reading that allow us to make sense of text—also known as comprehension processes. Learn more about comprehension processes on Science of Reading: The Podcast.

Instruction based on student data

Boost Reading features an automatic placement tool that requires no prior assessment. The program is able to pinpoint the most effective starting point for each student and provide them an engaging reading program personalized for their exact individual needs. The program also integrates directly with Amplify’s mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition assessment as well as other third party assessments.

Reports at every level

Boost Reading provides actionable insights into students’ reading development across 13 literacy skill domains. The program creates reports for classroom teachers, literacy specialists, principals and district leaders, and even parents and caregivers at home.