The state test scores released today, which show that 56% of third through eighth graders are reading proficiently, offer a promising sign that real change is beginning to take root in classrooms across the City — while also driving home the need to go further to ensure the promise of NYC Reads reaches todo students.

From the beginning, we knew that fundamentally transforming the City’s approach to early literacy instruction would be a multi-year effort that would take time to bear fruit. Taken together with the spring screener data NYCPS released last month, the 7.2 percentage point uptick in proficiency rates — and particularly the 12.9-point increase for third graders — is a hopeful signal that we are headed in the right direction. The City must maintain its commitment to embracing the science of reading and continue to provide teachers with the support and coaching they need to implement new curricula effectively.

At the same time, the large number of students scoring level 1 and the continued disparities by economic need, race/ethnicity, and disability status make clear that many students need extra support to become strong readers. We continue to hear from families who are unable to get their children the help they need to learn to read within NYC public schools. The next phase of NYC Reads must go beyond core instruction to ensure all students who need targeted intervention receive it. We look forward to learning more details about NYCPS’ recently announced plans for expanding access to evidence-based reading intervention.

Every parent expects the public schools to teach their children how to read. As we approach the next Mayoral Administration, literacy must remain a top priority, building on the work of NYC Reads to create lasting change.