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Unlocking Success Through the Science of Reading: A Pathway to Closing the Literacy Gap

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Unlocking Success Through the Science of Reading: A Pathway to Closing the Literacy Gap

By: Marian University Partner | Published: January 24, 2026 | Categories: Education

The written word is foundational to participation in modern society. It connects us academically, professionally, and—now more than ever—digitally. Yet access to these opportunities is not equitable. Persistent gaps in literacy achievement prevent far too many individuals from fully engaging with the power of reading. The consequences are far-reaching, influencing high school graduation rates, career trajectories, lifetime earnings, and even long-term well-being.

Despite sustained efforts to address literacy challenges, many initiatives have fallen short. Too often, instruction lacks alignment to what research tells us about how children learn to read. When this happens, early difficulties compound over time, leading to widening achievement gaps and lasting academic, economic, and social consequences.

At Marian University, we are committed to doing better. We are not willing to accept the status quo in literacy instruction. Through our Master of Science (M.S.) in Reading Science, we ground preparation in the research-based Science of Reading to equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a meaningful difference. Our program is designed to empower teachers, literacy leaders, and working professionals to deliver effective, evidence-based instruction that meets the needs of diverse learners.

Keep reading to learn more about the Science of Reading, why it matters, and how Marian University’s M.S. in Reading Science is helping unlock lasting improvements in literacy for students across communities.

Introduction: The Urgent Need to Close the Literacy Gap

There is little debate about the importance of early literacy, yet educators across the country continue to grapple with a critical question: Why are so many students still not reading at grade level? Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicate that only about one-third of fourth graders reached reading proficiency in 2022. While pandemic-related disruptions intensified learning challenges, longstanding literacy disparities were present well before COVID-19.

These outcomes point to a deeper issue—one that cannot be solved through isolated interventions or short-term initiatives. What is needed is a systematic, research-aligned approach to literacy instruction that reflects how reading actually develops.

This is where the Science of Reading comes in. Grounded in decades of interdisciplinary research from neuroscience, linguistics, psychology, and education, the Science of Reading provides a clear framework for effective literacy instruction. When embedded thoughtfully into classroom practice, it equips educators to address the root causes of reading difficulties rather than the symptoms.

Marian University’s Master of Science in Reading Science prepares educators to lead this work with confidence and clarity. The program emphasizes the application of current research to instructional decision-making, empowering educators to close reading gaps and better support diverse learners. Now more than ever, understanding—and applying—the Science of Reading is essential to improving literacy outcomes for all students.

What Is the Science of Reading?

By adulthood, reading often feels automatic. Yet when we examine reading through the lenses of neuroscience and cognitive psychology—especially how it develops in the early elementary years—it becomes clear just how complex the process truly is. Reading requires the brain to rapidly recognize visual symbols, map them to speech sounds, access stored vocabulary, and construct meaning, all within seconds. For many learners, coordinating these processes is anything but simple.

The Science of Reading helps us understand how these systems work together. It synthesizes decades of interdisciplinary research to explain how the brain learns to read and why some students experience difficulty. This understanding allows educators to move beyond surface-level solutions and instead identify the underlying sources of reading challenges. With this knowledge, teachers can design instruction and intervention that directly target students’ needs.

The term Science of Reading refers both to the scientific principles that underlie reading development and to a broader shift in literacy instruction toward evidence-based practice. At its core, it emphasizes that instructional decisions should be grounded in research—not trends or intuition—and that literacy instruction must be intentional, systematic, and responsive.

When educators apply the Science of Reading, they focus on building the essential components of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—while also supporting students’ motivation and engagement as readers. This approach ensures that students develop not only the skills needed to read accurately and efficiently, but also the knowledge and confidence needed to read with purpose and meaning.

Grounded in Cognitive and Educational Research

Drawing from neuroscience, linguistics, and psychology, the Science of Reading is a body of research that explains how individuals learn to read and why reading is foundational to academic learning across disciplines. It provides a granular understanding of how readers develop skills over time, including how phonemic awareness supports word recognition and how vocabulary and fluency contribute to comprehension.

Importantly, the Science of Reading is not a departure from effective instruction. Rather, it synthesizes decades of research and builds on long-established best practices, including findings from the National Reading Panel report which identified the essential components of reading and their role in comprehensive literacy instruction. This body of research continues to expand as advances in cognitive science and educational psychology deepen our understanding of reading development and reading difficulties.

High-quality Science of Reading preparation equips educators with a deep understanding of the cognitive processes involved in reading alongside evidence-based instructional practices. This includes supporting accurate word recognition, language comprehension, and verbal reasoning while responding to individual learner needs. Graduate-level training further emphasizes research-based frameworks such as multi-tiered systems of support, preparing educators to design instruction and intervention that address diverse learning profiles in systematic and meaningful ways.

Moving Beyond Traditional Reading Methods

Early approaches to reading instruction often relied on intuition-based or less systematic methods. While these approaches may support some learners, research has shown that systematic, explicit instruction benefits all students, not only those who experience reading difficulties. Reading is a complex cognitive process that must be taught intentionally, particularly in alphabetic languages such as English, and effective instruction provides a clear pathway for learners to develop skilled reading.

Science-backed instruction—often implemented through structured literacy—supports learners by making the structure of language explicit and predictable. This clarity benefits all students, including those with reading difficulties, as well as multilingual learners and students with language variations, who benefit from clear connections between spoken language, print, and meaning. When instruction is systematic and well-sequenced, it reduces confusion and supports efficient learning across a wide range of learners.

This approach draws on five essential components of reading that work together to support comprehension and meaning-making:

Phonemic awareness: The ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds within spoken words, supporting accurate word reading.
Phonics: Understanding the systematic relationships between sounds and letters and how those relationships are used to decode and encode words.
Fluency: Reading with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression to support understanding and engagement with text.
Vocabulary: Developing breadth and depth of word knowledge, including attention to oral language development.
Comprehension: Constructing meaning by integrating information from text with prior knowledge and language understanding.

Marian University's Reading Science program emphasizes how these components are integrated into real instructional contexts to support learners with varied instructional needs. Candidates learn to assess student reading profiles accurately and design instruction and intervention that are grounded in evidence and responsive to how students learn to read. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, effective literacy instruction is intentionally adapted to support reading development across learners, languages, and stages of literacy growth.

Why This Matters for Today’s Classrooms

When literacy instruction is grounded in evidence, classrooms become places where all students can develop strong reading skills and sustained engagement with learning. Effective instruction equips educators with the tools to teach reading intentionally, ensuring that students build foundational skills early and continue to strengthen them over time.

The Science of Reading supports instruction that is responsive to individual learning needs by helping educators understand the cognitive processes involved in reading. This knowledge allows teachers to adjust instruction and provide additional support when needed. For example, research on brain-based processes related to phonemic awareness can inform decoding instruction, while evidence-based strategies related to executive function can support students who experience challenges with attention, organization, or self-regulation, including students with ADHD.

Marian University's Master of Science in Reading Science prepares educators to apply this research directly to classroom practice. Candidates develop a deep understanding of how reading develops, why students may struggle, and how to design instruction that supports skill development across a range of learners. This preparation ensures that instructional decisions are informed, purposeful, and grounded in the science that underlies effective literacy instruction.

Building Systems to Prevent Reading Failure

Literacy gaps occur when students perform below expected benchmarks for reading proficiency. Identifying these gaps is an important first step, but meaningful change requires more than isolated assessments—it requires a coherent, school-wide system of instruction and support. Within an MTSS framework, screening and progress-monitoring tools such as Acadience Reading provide educators with actionable data related to foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and related early literacy indicators. When used consistently, these measures support early identification, instructional alignment, and ongoing decision-making across tiers of support.

At the systems level, large-scale assessments such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) offer insight into long-term trends in reading achievement. While these data highlight persistent challenges, they do not explain why literacy gaps emerge or how schools can systematically prevent them. Addressing these questions requires attention to instructional coherence, assessment literacy, and the effective use of data within a multi-tiered framework.

This is where reading science plays a critical role. The Science of Reading provides evidence-based insight into the cognitive processes that underlie reading development and how instruction can be designed to prevent reading failure before it becomes entrenched. In Marian University’s graduate-level Reading Science program, candidates learn how to use assessment data within an MTSS framework to strengthen core instruction, design targeted interventions, and build sustainable systems of support. The emphasis is not only on closing existing literacy gaps, but on preventing them through intentional, research-aligned instruction delivered consistently across classrooms and schools.

Historical Trends in Literacy Achievement

Literacy gaps are far from new. In fact, it's only recently that we've brought reading to the vast majority of the global population; data compiled by the World Bank show that global literacy rates were approximately 42% in 1960 and reached about 70% by the early 1980s—highlighting both progress and the long timeline required to build literacy systems at scale.

In the U.S., illiteracy fell below 3% in most states by 1950, yet race-related achievement gaps persisted. These have been tracked for decades by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which highlights clear progress, including reading improvement among Black 13-year-olds between 1971 and 2020. However, it also shows that reading skills remain behind in many Black and Hispanic communities.

These concerns may accelerate as research suggests that literacy rates are stagnating and achievement gaps are growing. The Nation's Report Card, for instance, shows that 40% of fourth graders now fall below the NAEP base level for reading.

Addressing Literacy Needs Across the K–12 Continuum

Multiple factors contribute to persistent reading gaps across the grade span, from early childhood through adolescence. Access to early language and literacy experiences plays an important role in initial reading development, but gaps that are not addressed early often persist into the upper elementary, middle, and secondary grades. As texts become more complex and disciplinary demands increase, students with unfinished foundational skills or limited language comprehension face increasing barriers to academic success.

While contextual factors influence literacy development, instruction remains a powerful lever for change at every stage of schooling. High-quality, evidence-based reading instruction can mitigate early gaps and support continued growth for older students when it is intentionally designed to address both foundational skills and language comprehension. For adolescents, this includes explicit attention to word recognition, vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension strategies aligned with increasingly complex texts across content areas.

Schools, however, often encounter structural challenges that make sustained literacy support difficult, particularly beyond the primary grades. Limited instructional time for literacy in secondary settings, competing curricular demands, and reduced access to educators with specialized training in reading instruction can hinder progress if systems are not aligned.

These challenges are significant but not insurmountable. Research indicates that systematic, research-aligned instruction—implemented within coherent schoolwide systems—can support reading development well beyond the early grades. When assessment, instruction, and intervention are coordinated across an MTSS framework, schools are better positioned to prevent long-term reading difficulties, address existing gaps, and support literacy growth from early childhood through adolescence.

Together, this research highlights the importance of sustained instructional coherence, early prevention, and ongoing intervention. Strengthening literacy outcomes requires attention not only to early reading development, but also to adolescent literacy needs through aligned systems that support students as texts, tasks, and expectations increase over time.

The Cost of Inaction

Even brief delays in reading development can have long-lasting consequences for students and for society. Research consistently shows that students who do not reach reading proficiency by the end of third grade are unlikely to close the gap without targeted, systematic support. When foundational skills are not firmly established, students often make less than a year’s worth of reading progress each school year, causing achievement gaps to widen over time. Studies suggest that a significant proportion of students who fail to reach early reading proficiency face increased risk of later academic disengagement, including a higher likelihood of dropping out of high school.

Illiteracy in third grade can have ripple effects across other subjects, especially as this is when students are expected to stop "learning to read" and begin "reading to learn." Without reaching early proficiency, learning issues are likely to snowball, causing struggling readers to suffer academically, economically, and even socially as they reach adulthood. This sparks a cyclical effect that spans generations; illiteracy is linked to poverty, but poverty (in turn) increases the likelihood of illiteracy. By addressing these challenges through small groups, educators can better support students’ individual needs.

How Marian University’s Reading Science Program Leads the Work

Marian University’s Master of Science in Reading Science is intentionally designed to address persistent literacy gaps by preparing educators with the knowledge and systems-level perspective needed to strengthen reading instruction across grade levels.

Curriculum Grounded in Research

The Reading Science curriculum at Marian University is grounded in research from neuroscience, linguistics, cognitive psychology, and instructional science. Coursework is carefully sequenced to reflect how reading develops and why difficulties occur, with a focus on language structures, verbal reasoning, and the decoding and encoding of print.

Flexible Online Format

Offered fully online, the program is designed for working educators. The format supports meaningful engagement with course content while fostering collaboration among educators across schools, districts, and states.

Faculty Expertise and National Engagement

Led by experienced faculty, including Dr. Karen Betz, Dr. Anne Elsener, and Dr. Tracy Hastings, the program bridges research and practice to prepare educators for instructional leadership. Marian University’s work was featured on Science of Reading: The Podcast , hosted by Susan Lambert, in an episode featuring Karen Betz, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of Literacy and Director of Reading Science Programs.

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As Dr. Betz noted in the episode, the Science of Reading “comes down to the children, and we can never lose sight of that. It’s about the kids.”

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Impact Beyond the Classroom

At Marian University, the impact of reading science extends well beyond individual classrooms. Graduate students are encouraged to apply what they learn to strengthen literacy instruction across schools and systems, supporting meaningful, long-term improvement in reading outcomes.

Advancing Dyslexia Awareness and Support

Reading difficulties related to dyslexia can significantly affect decoding and word recognition if not addressed early and systematically. Graduates of the Reading Science program are prepared to recognize these challenges and design instruction that aligns with reading science to support individual learning needs. This preparation equips educators to strengthen early identification and deliver targeted instruction that supports literacy development for students with dyslexia.

Transforming Literacy Instruction at Scale

Marian University alumni extend the impact of reading science by supporting colleagues and contributing to broader instructional improvement efforts. Many work in curriculum development, teacher training, and instructional coaching, helping schools align literacy instruction with evidence-based practices. Alumni also contribute to statewide and community-based initiatives that focus on strengthening instructional systems and removing barriers to learning.

Connecting Literacy Research to Real Lives

The M.S. in Reading Science prepares educators to translate literacy research into effective classroom practice that makes a lasting difference for students. This work reflects Marian University’s core commitments to leadership, service, and preserving the dignity of the learner.

Take the Next Step: Lead Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction

Advance your impact as an educator by grounding your practice in the Science of Reading. Marian University’s Master of Science in Reading Science equips educators with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to implement research-aligned instruction and respond effectively to varied learning needs. Apply today to join educators committed to strengthening reading instruction through evidence-based practice and lasting instructional change.