Closing early reading gaps—with results in just months
In this 2024/25 study, the progress of 103 young learners using Sharpen Reading digital platform was evaluated.
Before using Sharpen Reading, the majority of students in this study were reading one or more grade levels below expectation. Traditional supports weren’t enough to accelerate growth and close the gap.
The results show that learners' consistent and structured use of Sharpen Reading helped struggling readers not only catch up but often exceed their grade‑level targets within months.
The Challenge: Early Learners Falling Behind
Most students in the study began the program reading well below their school grade:
This reflects a widespread challenge for parents and teachers alike - how to support foundational reading when kids are falling behind.
The Intervention: Structured, Personalized, and Consistent Instruction
The 103 students in this study received Sharpen Reading instruction to bolster the essential reading skills of decoding, phonemic awareness and fluency. Outcomes and dosage for the 103 students were analyzed in two subgroups:
- Engaged Users ( 67 Students):
- 4 sessions/week (~16 per month)
- ~20 min per session, 1 lesson each
- Fidelity to Sharpen’s adaptive scope/sequence
- Non‑Engaged Users (37 Students):
- Inconsistent and/or significantly below dosage guidelines
- Inconsistent and/or significantly below dosage guidelines
What Sharpen’s Formative Assessment Data Shows
Formative assessments of a student's Letter-Sound Knowledge, Spelling, and Word Reading skills were assessed at every other lesson throughout the Sharpen Reading program sequence. Student’s performance on these tasks is evaluated and recorded. (Note: Items requiring additional practice are identified and delivered in the curriculum sequence, personalized to each learner through our adaptive learning algorithm)
Formative Assessment data was analyzed in two different ways in order to understand students’ skill mastery and proficiency to gain a comprehensive understanding of student progress. Mastery reflects a higher level of consistency and confidence in applying the core reading skills, indicating that a student has firmly grasped the concept and can use it reliably. Proficiency, on the other hand, serves as an early indicator of learning and shows that a student is beginning to understand and apply the skill but may still need additional practice to reach full mastery. Tracking both measures allows us to identify if and where students differ on skill acquisition and also allows us to recognize early signs of progress.
Overall, Sharpen’s Formative Assessment outcomes show that sustained and active participation in our program significantly enhances students' abilities to master key literacy skills.
