Why reading matters

25 million children in the U.S. cannot read proficiently, which prevents them from achieving success in school, participating in all areas of life, and realizing their dreams. Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) has the proven programs and resources to tackle the literacy crisis, but we can't do it without you. Partner with us to connect more children to the joy of reading—and build a foundation for lifelong opportunity.

A kid reading a book and looking engaged
The U.S. literacy crisis

Join RIF to disrupt the literacy crisis

Reading Is Fundamental and our partners work to change the trajectory of the alarming U.S. literacy crisis, which creates barriers between our nation’s children and their opportunities.

25M

children in the U.S. cannot read proficiently.  

61%

of U.S. children living at or below the poverty line have no books at home. 

1 in 3

children entering kindergarten lack the basic skills they need to learn how to read.

69%

of 4th graders read below grade level, setting them up for difficulty in school and beyond. 

70%

of 8th graders read below grade level, leading to possible high school dropout.


Literacy statistics by U.S. state

See how your state compares to the U.S. average.

Reading performance has declined to historic lows.

Explore the devastating results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), looking at fourth and eighth-grade reading scores by state. 

Results confirm that learning loss attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, declines in student attendance, and the complexities of policy and practice continue to impact reading outcomes for students, as overall reading scores declined further. No state saw statistically significant gains in fourth grade or eighth grade reading from 2022 to 2024, which comes on the heels of a 2022 historic drop in reading performance.