Advancing Adolescent Literacy

The Advancing Literacy Initiative was created in 2003, after an extensive review that included consultations with the nation's leading practitioners and researchers in literacy.

America’s Adolescents in Crisis

This review revealed that the teaching of reading in Kindergarten through the third grade is well supported with research, practice and policy, but that the knowledge base for how to teach reading for grades beyond this point is very thin. The educational community faces a difficult challenge since what is expected in academic achievement for middle and high school students has significantly increased, yet the way in which students are taught to read, comprehend and write about subject matter has not kept pace with the demands of schooling. American 15-year-olds barely attain the standards of international literacy for youngsters their age, and during the past decade the average reading score of fourth graders has changed little. Readers who struggle during the intermediate elementary years face increasing difficulty throughout middle school and beyond.

 Advancing Literacy Initiative

Carnegie Corporation’s initiative has been addressing the daunting task of advancing literacy by affecting policy, practice and research.  And during 2010, the foundation will continue to bring this work to its planned conclusion.  The capstone final report, Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Success, and other adolescent literacy reports and information about the initiative can be found in the Publications search page.

Adolescent Literacy: Families and Communities

Adolescent Literacy: English Language Learners

Time to Act