Whether or not most kids learn to read is a critical aspect of academic success. However, coverage of district reading programs hasn’t always been as abundant and in-depth as it should be.
In recent years, however, there’s been a small but notable uptick in coverage of district reading programs.
Here are The Grade’s stories describing the importance of covering whether districts are teaching kids to read and the strategies that education reporters have used to cover the topic, as of July 2025:
Why reading went under the radar for so long – and what one reporter is aiming to do about it (Hanford interview)
The reckoning over reading (newsletter)
How the media missed the 2000 National Reading Panel report (Will Callan)
How I missed the phonics story (former AJC education reporter Patti Ghezzi)
A new effort to promote high-quality literacy coverage (Hanford)
What’s next for literacy coverage in 2024? (Karen Vaites)
Secrets of a successful literacy investigation (Boston Globe reporter Naomi Martin)
Why reporting on literacy is so hard — and tips for making it easier (Boston Globe’s Mandy McLaren)
A veteran feature writer’s approach to hot-button topics like reading (interview with TIME’s Belinda Luscombe)
A low grade for literacy coverage (Susan Neuman)
Why reading went under the radar for so long (Alexander Russo)
How to report on whether district reading programs are any good (Colleen Connolly)
Beyond “Sold A Story” (Natalie Wexler)
Cracking the code on reading instruction stories (Holly Korbey)
Inadequate literacy coverage in New York City (NYC parent Lee Gaul)
Don’t call it ‘the reading wars’ (by Molly Ness)
Bringing energy and creativity to literacy coverage (by veteran journalist Alan Borsuk)How do we get Black kids’ literacy to matter? Have more journalists cover it. (Colette Coleman)
Looking for coverage roundups on other topics?
Racial inequality in schools and newsrooms
School shooting coverage
Covering the school reopening debate
Covering education technology
Star reporters, standout stories
Covering the COVID-19 crisis
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Grade
Launched in 2015, The Grade is a journalist-run effort to encourage high-quality coverage of K-12 education issues.
