FacebookX

Healthy Beginnings / Increasing Early Reading Levels

Increasing Early Reading Levels2026-02-17T10:03:05-08:00

Early learning sets the foundation for success1

Studies have consistently demonstrated that people with high literacy levels are more likely to experience positive health outcomes, have greater health information fluency, and practice health-promoting behaviors.2

Students with limited reading abilities have a harder time keeping up across multiple subjects (including math, science, and other languages), and those who fall behind in the early grades often stay behind. Educational attainment is associated with better quality of life and longer life expectancy, and students who have fallen behind by the end of 3rd grade are less likely to finish high school or attend college.  Thus, early intervention is critical for children who struggle with reading to promote health over their life course.1,3,4,5,6 

This indicator tracks the percentage of 3rd grade students who read at or above the proficient level standards.

Early Reading Levels

In 2021 (baseline year), 39.8% of 3rd grade students were at or above proficient reading level standards.  The most recent data available show 44.2% (2025).  We hope to reach a target of 49.7% or higher by 2034.

More Data about Early Reading Levels

Baseline

39.8%

Current Rate

44.2%

Target

49.7%

Indicator Highlights

Reading to children early in life is vital to supporting development of literacy and language skills, and supports healthy brain development.  It is also associated with improved language ability, which at age 2 predicts future language ability.4Children whose parents and caregivers frequently read to them know and understand many more words by age 2 than children who have not been read to regularly.  Benefits of reading aloud to a newborn child include building language awareness, listening, and memory skills; introducing concepts such as stories, letters, colors, and shapes; and promotion of bonding and closeness with parents and caregivers.7,8,9

Reading aloud to children when they are 5 or younger is associated with enhanced social-emotional development, improved behaviors, attention, and positive developmental outcomes.  It also helps to instill a lifelong habit of reading, which prepares children for future learning across the lifespan.  Ways to encourage reading in children include making it part of their daily routines, for their parents and caregivers to serve as reading role models by reading often in their presence, asking older children to read to their younger siblings (or other younger children), and replacing screen time with book time.7,8,9

Data Snapshot

In 2025, only 33.4% of socioeconomically disadvantaged 3rd grade students were at or above proficient reading level standards, compared with 64.2% of non-socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

In 2025, American Indian or Alaska Native and Black or African American 3rd grade students were least likely to be at or above proficient reading level standards (29.6%), followed by Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (33.6%), and Hispanic or Latino (34.1%); while White (57.9%), Filipino (65.5%), and Asian (67.6%) students were most likely.

The percentage of 3rd grade students at or above proficient reading level standards increased statewide from 2021 (39.8%) through 2025 (44.2%).

Percentage of 3rd Grade Students At or Above Proficient Reading Level Standards, Over Time

 
Visualization Help

Percentage of 3rd Grade Students At or Above Proficient Reading Level Standards, by Demographic Category

 
Visualization Help

Percentage of 3rd Grade Students At or Above Proficient Reading Level Standards, by County

 
Visualization Help

|

Indicator: Percentage of 3rd Grade Students with Reading Skills At or Above Proficiency

Indicator Description: Percentage of 3rd grade students that met or exceeded their grade-level standard in Englis Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) proficiency levels.

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System was established on January 1, 2014.  The CAASPP System encompasses the following assessments and student participation requirements, and information about the content and format of each test is also provided:

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics in grades three through eight and grade eleven.  Student Participation: All students at the designated grade levels are required to participate with the following exceptions:

  • Students who participate in the alternate assessments.
  • ELA only—English learners who are in their first 12 months of attending a school in the United States.

Content and Format: The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments, which are delivered by computer, consist of two sections: a computer adaptive test and a performance task (PT) based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA and mathematics.  The computer adaptive section includes a range of item types, such as selected response, constructed response, table, fill-in, graphing, and so forth.  The PTs are extended activities that measure a student’s ability to integrate knowledge and skills across multiple standards—a key component of college and career readiness.

Demographic Category Definitions: Some demographic categories are specific to this indicator, particularly those related to English-Language fluency.  Definitions have been taken from the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) as follows (for additional details and background, please consult the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) documentation web page):

  • Economically Disadvantaged: Students who are eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Meals (FRPM) under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).  Please see CALPADS Data Guide for more details.
  • English Learner: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom there is a report of a language other than English on the Home Language Survey and who, upon initial assessment in California using an appropriate state assessment (currently the California English Language Development Test (CELDT)) and from additional information when appropriate, is determined to lack the clearly defined English language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and/or writing necessary to succeed in the school’s regular instructional programs.
  • English Only: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom the only language reported on the Home Language Survey (HLS) is English or American Sign Language.
  • Ever-Els: A student who has previously been classified as English learner during the year, regardless of whether they have been reclassified or not.
  • Fluent English Proficient and English Only: Combination of students classified in these two groups.
  • Initial Fluent English Proficient: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom a language other than English is reported on the Home Language Survey and who, upon initial assessment in California using an appropriate state assessment (currently the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) and from additional information when appropriate, is determined to be proficient in English.
  • Reclassified Fluent English Proficient: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 who, upon entering public school in California, is identified as an English learner (EL) and subsequently reclassified/redesignated in California, per Education Code 313, as proficient in English.  Please see CALPADS Code Set spreadsheet for more details.
  • Migrant Education: Students enrolled in the California Department of Education Migrant Education program.

Data Limitations: CAASPP is required in public schools; it is unknown if the type of school (public, non-public) could affect the test scores.  Note that not all students who should be taking the test actually complete the test.  This data represents a conservative estimate of the proportion of third graders whose reading skills are at or above proficient levels.

Indicator Source: CAASPP Test Results – CAASPP Reporting (CA Dept of Education) (ets.org) (select Smarter Balanced Assessments then Research Files tab on top)

Indicator Calculation Methodology: The percentage of students at each achievement level is calculated by dividing the number of students at that achievement level by the total number of students with scores in the selected year for the subject area, English language arts (ELA).  Numerator: Number of students who scored in category “Percentage Standard Met” plus “Percent Standard Exceeded”.  Denominator: Total number of students with scores.  Calculation: (Numerator / Denominator) * 100.  Suppression applied for groups of 10 or fewer students.

Data Collection Methodology: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ai/cefcaaspp.asp 

Program URL Link: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/

Reporting Cycle: Annual

1.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy People 2030.  (2024).  Language and Literacy.  Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/language-and-literacy

2.  Berkman, N. D., Dewalt, D. A., Pignone, M. P., Sheridan, S. L., Lohr, K. N., Lux, L., Sutton, S. F., Swinson, T., & Bonito, A. J.  (2004).  Literacy and health outcomes. Evidence report/technology assessment (Summary), (87), 1–8.  Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11942

3.  Annie E. Casey Foundation.  (2010).  Early warning!  Why reading by the end of third grade matters.  Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation.  Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://www.aecf.org/resources/early-warning-why-reading-by-the-end-of-third-grade-matters

4.  World Literacy Foundation.  (2021).  The Impact of Illiteracy and the Importance of Early Intervention [Web log post].  Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/early-intervention-reduces-illiteracy/

5.  World Literacy Foundation.  (2018).  The Economic & Social Cost of Illiteracy: A Global White Paper by the World Literacy Foundation.  Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheEconomicSocialCostofIlliteracy-2.pdf

6.  Cree, A., Kay, A., Steward, J.  (2022).  The Economic & Social Cost of Illiteracy: A Snapshot of Illiteracy in a Global Context: Final Report from the World Literacy Foundation.  Retrieved July 24, 2024, from https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/The-Economic-Social-Cost-of-Illiteracy-2022.pdf

7.  California Children and Families Commission – First 5 California. (2025). Topics: Newborn Reading. Retrieved July 3, 2025 from https://www.first5california.com/en-us/topics/newborn-reading/

8.  California Children and Families Commission – First 5 California. (2025). What We Do: Focus Areas. Retrieved July 3, 2025 from https://www.ccfc.ca.gov/whatwedo/index.html#programs

9.  California Children and Families Commission – First 5 California. (2025). What We Do: Program Areas: Early Learning and Care; Effective Interactions and Teaching; Positive Parenting; Public Education and Outreach. Retrieved July 3, 2025, from https://www.ccfc.ca.gov/whatwedo/program_areas.html

Stories & Solutions

First 5 Initiative

First 5 California understands that today's parents face many challenges and tough choices as they raise their kids. At First 5 California, we fund programs that educate parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers about the critical role they play during a child’s first five years. Since our creation in 1998, we’ve [...]

Read More

Raising of America

The Raising of America is the first national, fully integrated media/public engagement project that aims to reframe the way Americans look at early child health and development. The Raising of America Campaign films and resources are being used by hundreds of organizations concerned about the futures of young children and [...]

Read More

Essentials for Childhood Initiative

The California Essentials for Childhood Initiative addresses child maltreatment as a public health issue and aims to 1) raise awareness and commitment to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments; 2) create the context for healthy children and families through social norms change, programs and policies; and 3) uses data [...]

Read More

Share Your Story

Want to engage in moving the dial on Healthy Beginnings? Share your impact story!

Submit Your Story

More From Let’s Get Healthy California

a graphic of a book

Get Informed

a graphic of three dots

Get Involved

a graphic of a magnifying glass

Get Data

Let’s Get Healthy California

We aim to make California the healthiest state by advancing the Triple Aim of better health, better care, and lower cost. We promote health equity, leverage data and catalyze innovation, and work together to make a collective impact on the overall health of our state!

Secret Link
Go to Top