@EdWorkingPaper{ai26-1616,
title = "Legislating Literacy: Estimating the Impact of State-Level Science of Reading Reforms on Reading Test Scores",
author = "Florence Bason, Christopher Redding",
number = "1616",
year = "2026",
month = "October",
URL = "http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1616",
abstract = {This study examines the extent to which state adoption of Science of Reading (SoR)-aligned policies was associated with changes in fourth-grade reading achievement. Using longitudinal state-level panel data from 2003-2024 and quasi-experimental difference-in-differences (DiD) methods, the study estimates relationships between SoR policy adoption and NAEP Grade 4 reading outcomes. Findings suggest that SoR-aligned reforms are associated with modest but gradually emerging improvements in reading achievement, with stronger effects observed at longer post-adoption periods. Effects are not uniformly distributed across student groups, with more consistent positive associations observed for White students and students not eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Results further suggest that coordinated policy environments may matter more than individually adopted literacy policies.},
}