New Jersey Literacy Screenings Reveal Widespread Phonics and Reading Struggles Among K-3 Students
Why It Matters
New Jersey’s first mandatory universal literacy screening program is uncovering significant reading deficiencies among the state’s youngest students, with data showing that the majority of K-3 students entered the current school year struggling with core foundational skills. The findings carry serious long-term consequences, as research links poor early reading skills to higher dropout rates and limited career prospects.
For a state where 43% of students are reading below grade level, the data represents both a warning and a roadmap for educators seeking to close historic achievement gaps before they become permanent barriers.
What Happened
Under a 2024 law, New Jersey schools were required for the first time this academic year to administer literacy screenings to all students in kindergarten through third grade. The law mandates that screenings be conducted at least twice per year and that parents receive their child’s results within 30 days.
State education leaders presented early fall screening data at a state school board meeting this month, offering the first statewide picture of foundational reading skill levels across New Jersey’s K-3 classrooms. The data was shared by officials from the state Department of Education, providing what they called an unprecedented level of transparency into how students are being assessed.
“For the first time, we have clear statewide visibility into literacy screener usage,” said Jorden Schiff, assistant commissioner at the state Department of Education. “This level of transparency allows us to better support districts and communicate more clearly with families about how students are being assessed and supported.”
By the Numbers
The early data paints a challenging portrait of reading readiness across the state:
- 43% of screened students were reading below grade level overall, while 57% were at or above grade level.
- 54% of students were below grade level in phonemic awareness — the ability to identify and manipulate sounds in words.
- 52% of students were below grade level in both phonics and reading comprehension.
- 60–61% of students met or exceeded grade-level expectations in letter naming and oral reading — the two strongest-performing categories.
- 38% of New Jersey fourth graders demonstrated reading proficiency on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, down from 49% in 2017.
- Approximately one in four school districts did not share screener data with the state Education Department, and a smaller share used non-approved screening tools.
Zoom Out
New Jersey’s literacy challenges reflect a national crisis rooted in part in pandemic-era learning disruptions. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress found that more than half of fourth graders across all states were struggling with reading proficiency — a trend that accelerated as remote learning exposed and deepened existing achievement gaps.
Disparities are especially pronounced among Black and Latino students, English language learners, and economically disadvantaged students, groups that saw reading proficiency fall further below statewide averages. New Jersey has also moved toward greater fiscal transparency, launching a budget portal that reflects a broader push for accountability in how public resources — including education funding — are being deployed.
Several states have moved aggressively on structured literacy reforms, with Texas serving as a model that New Jersey officials have publicly examined. Roughly 75% of New Jersey school districts are now using state-approved screening tools, including Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills and i-Ready, according to the Department of Education.
What’s Next
Education officials have framed the screening program as a prevention tool rather than a punitive assessment, emphasizing early intervention over reactive remediation. “The goal is simple: Screen early so we can support students sooner,” said Lisa Haberl, executive director of teaching and learning at the state Education Department. “Universal screening shifts our approach from reaction into prevention.”
Advocacy groups are encouraging parents to ask their school districts pointed questions — including whether their district submitted screener data to the state, whether the tools used are state-approved, and what interventions are in place for students performing below grade level.
Paula White, executive director at JerseyCAN, a literacy advocacy group, noted the urgency of the phonics findings. “It does give us pause when we have more students that are coming into school challenged around phonics and phonemic awareness because those are really predictive of challenges later on,” White said in remarks reported by NJ Spotlight News.
State education officials indicated they will continue monitoring screener compliance and use the data to guide district-level support. With the law requiring twice-yearly screenings, a second round of data is expected before the close of the current academic year, giving educators and policymakers an additional benchmark to measure early progress.