Youngest students see big reading gains post-COVID on DIBELS assessment.

The article focuses on recent improvements in early reading skills among K-2 students since the COVID-19 pandemic, based on assessment data from DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). Data from Amplify, a curriculum and assessment company, show that by the end of the 2024-25 school year, approximately 68% of K-2 students were on track to learn to read, with kindergartners and first graders demonstrating the most significant gains. Despite these positive trends, concerns remain about slowing progress and gender disparities in reading performance. Amplify recommends that school districts analyze student data, address instructional challenges, support teacher professional development in the science of reading, and foster reading enjoyment to sustain early literacy recovery.