Beyond Test Scores: Why We Need to Pay More Attention to Children’s Reading Comprehension

NWEA analyzed MAP Growth data from over 7 million students across the United States. The findings show that while math achievement in first and second grade has shown steady, gradual recovery, reading achievement remains stalled, with little rebound toward pre-pandemic levels. Kindergarten achievement, meanwhile, has remained relatively stable.

This tells us something important.

Reading challenges cannot simply be solved by asking children to “read more books.” Children need opportunities to understand what they read, explain their ideas, make connections, and think deeply about information.

For parents, this is an important reminder: supporting reading comprehension at home may be more valuable than we realize.

What Does the Research Tell Us?

NWEA’s K–2 data highlights several key trends:

• Math: Achievement dropped during the pandemic but has shown gradual recovery in Grades 1 and 2.
• Reading: Achievement remains below pre-pandemic levels, with little evidence of recovery.
• Kindergarten: Achievement has remained relatively stable.
• Achievement gaps: Some historically underserved groups have made progress in math, but overall gaps remain.

The message is clear: reading comprehension is not a short-term learning gap. It requires consistent and sustained support.

Why Does Family Reading Matter?

Although the NWEA research focuses primarily on educational outcomes, children's experiences during remote learning also remind us of the important role families can play.

Reading Is More Than Reading Words

Reading comprehension isn't simply about recognizing words or answering questions.

Children need opportunities to talk, ask questions, make predictions, connect ideas, and explain what they understand.

That means conversation matters.

Everyday Interaction Makes a Difference

A shared reading experience doesn't have to take hours.

Even a short, consistent period of reading together can create opportunities for children to build vocabulary, organize ideas, develop reasoning skills, and stay focused.

The goal isn't to turn family reading time into another lesson.

It's to make reading a meaningful part of everyday life.

What Can Parents Do?

Here are five simple ways to support reading comprehension at home:

1. Set Aside 15 Minutes for Reading

Create a regular reading routine. Let children listen to stories, read independently, or take turns reading with you.

2. Ask “Why?” and “What Happens Next?”

Instead of only asking children to recall facts, encourage them to think about cause and effect.

Try questions such as:

“Why do you think the character did that?”

“What do you think will happen next?”

3. Let Children Tell the Story

Ask your child to retell the story in their own words.

This helps you see whether they truly understood the content—not simply whether they can read the words.

4. Explore Different Types of Reading

Storybooks are only one kind of reading.

Try introducing children to science books, comics, magazines, recipes, instructions, or other everyday texts. Different materials expose children to different vocabulary, structures, and ways of communicating ideas.

5. Bring Reading into Everyday Life

Read a recipe while cooking together.

Look at the rules before playing a game.

Read a flyer and ask what information it provides.

When children discover that reading helps them understand and navigate the world around them, reading becomes more than a school assignment.

Reading Is a Journey, Not Just a Score

Academic scores can tell us something about how children are performing.

But they don't tell the whole story.

What matters is whether children can understand information, express their ideas, make connections, and think beyond what is written on the page.

When parents create a supportive and enjoyable reading environment, children can gradually develop not only stronger comprehension, but also curiosity, confidence, and a willingness to learn.

Because the goal of reading isn't simply to read more.

It's to understand more, think more deeply, and discover more about the world.

 

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