On a Mission

The Wisconsin Reading Coalition is a grassroots movement of parents, educators, advocacy organizations, health professionals, and business leaders committed to bringing evidence-based reading instruction and timely intervention to all Wisconsin students.

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. ~ Mohandas Gandhi

NAEP Performance

Wisconsin’s performance on the reading portion of the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) continues to be simply unacceptable and unnecessary.

2022 NAEP Reading: WI 4th Graders

Click here for details on 2022 NAEP data, including subgroups

How Wisconsin Measures Up Nationally

Click here for larger line graphs

Our scores have statistically decreased since 1992, while the nation and many other states have seen statistically significant increases.

Between 1994 and 2019, Wisconsin's national ranking dropped from 3rd to 27th. Current teaching methodologies in Wisconsin stifle the growth of our most talented children, and seriously hinder academic and life success for minority children and those with disadvantaged backgrounds or learning disabilities. Due to varying responses to the COVID pandemic, it is problematic to track rankings into 2022. However, between 1998 and 2019, the percentage of Wisconsin students scoring at Below Basic actually increased, and the net positive movement between proficiency categories was less than1%, compared to 14.55% nationally.

Breaking News

We're co-hosting Turning the Tide in Reading Instruction 2024! Save the date for October 4th to learn from top national literacy researchers, practitioners, and thought leaders. In person at the Brookfield Conference Center with a live stream option available. Registration opens in April. Details and schedule here!

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