A recent study has revealed a concerning disparity in how teachers assign reading materials, with those serving historically marginalized student populations assigning fewer full books than their counterparts, even as a significant majority of educators report assigning more texts than mandated by their curricula. This finding emerges from data collected in 2025 and highlights a potential equity gap in educational practices, particularly in light of declining national reading scores and a growing trend towards shorter, excerpt-based assignments in major publishing curricula.
The research, detailed in a recent report, indicates that approximately 60% of teachers assign supplementary reading materials beyond the prescribed curriculum. However, this positive trend of exceeding requirements does not extend equally to all student groups. Teachers working with students from historically marginalized backgrounds were found to assign a lower volume of full-length books. This observation is particularly critical given the broader educational landscape, which has been marked by a decline in reading proficiency among students across the nation.
Declining Reading Scores and the Shift Away from Whole Books
The findings from 2025 align with a disturbing trajectory in national academic performance. The results of the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) were released that same year, revealing a further slide in reading scores compared to 2022 data, which itself showed a post-pandemic dip. Subsequent analyses of NAEP data indicated that high school students are graduating with diminished reading skills, and the performance gap between higher-achieving and lower-achieving students is widening in most subject areas, including reading.
This educational backdrop is further complicated by the nature of the materials being assigned. A New York Times survey conducted in December 2025, involving over 2,000 educators, parents, and students, found that curriculum products from major publishers increasingly rely on short-form questions and brief essay assignments based on excerpts from stories, articles, and novels, rather than full books. This pedagogical shift is, in part, a response to the pressures of state standardized testing. As the New York Times report highlighted, "By the time teachers get through their required curriculums and prep students for exams, they often have little or no time left to guide classes through a whole book."
Publisher Curricula and Teacher Practices
The Rand report, released on Wednesday, corroborated this observation. It found a correlation between the primary use of publisher-developed curricula and the assignment of fewer books. Teachers who predominantly relied on these materials assigned fewer full books compared to those who did not. This suggests that the structure and content of commercially available curricula may inadvertently discourage the in-depth engagement with literature that reading entire books can foster.
Factors Contributing to the Shift
Beyond the influence of standardized testing and publisher curricula, other factors may be contributing to the decline in whole-book assignments. Natalie Wexler, an education writer specializing in literacy and equity issues, pointed to a potential lack of student interest as another reason for this shift. In an article published in the American Federation of Teachers’ American Educator journal in the spring of 2026, Wexler noted, "Another is lack of time in a world where… many students simply don’t read outside class." She further elaborated on the lingering effects of the pandemic: "That’s been especially true since the pandemic, when many schools lowered expectations because students were dealing with difficult or even traumatic situations. Even though the pandemic is long over, those looser standards are often still in place." This indicates a complex interplay of external pressures and internal educational philosophies that are shaping how literature is integrated into the classroom.
The Importance of Grade-Level Text Engagement
Interestingly, the research also uncovered a positive correlation between teachers assigning more full books and their students spending a majority of class time engaging with grade-level texts. This suggests that when teachers are able to incorporate more comprehensive reading assignments, they are also more likely to ensure that students are working with material at their appropriate academic level. This finding is significant because consistent engagement with grade-level texts is a crucial predictor of academic success and long-term literacy development. It implies that the act of assigning and working through full books can be a catalyst for deeper comprehension and more robust academic engagement.
Addressing the Disparity: Potential Solutions
The Rand report proposed three key recommendations to address the dwindling presence of whole books in educational settings:
- Curriculum Reform: A critical examination and potential revision of existing publisher-developed curricula are necessary to ensure that they adequately support the inclusion of full-length literary works. This could involve publishers developing more flexible modules that allow for in-depth novel studies or creating supplementary materials that facilitate the integration of entire books.
- Teacher Professional Development: Investing in professional development opportunities for teachers is paramount. These programs should focus on strategies for effectively incorporating full books into the curriculum, particularly in diverse classrooms. This includes training on selecting appropriate texts, designing engaging activities, and fostering a love of reading among students who may face barriers to literacy.
- Policy Support: Educational policymakers at state and district levels could play a role by reviewing assessment requirements and curriculum mandates. A shift in emphasis from solely testable skills to a more holistic approach that values deep reading comprehension and literary analysis, fostered through the study of full books, could significantly influence classroom practices. This might involve adjusting standardized testing formats or providing guidance that encourages the use of extended literary works.
Broader Implications for Educational Equity
The disparity in book assignments between teachers serving historically marginalized students and their peers raises serious questions about educational equity. If students from these backgrounds are receiving fewer opportunities to engage with full literary works, they may be missing out on critical experiences that build vocabulary, enhance critical thinking skills, and foster a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives and complex narratives. This can have long-term consequences for their academic trajectories and their ability to participate fully in a text-rich society.
The fact that teachers assigning more books were more likely to report their students engaging with grade-level texts further underscores the importance of this practice. It suggests that the inclusion of full books is not merely an academic enrichment activity but a foundational element for ensuring that all students are operating at their appropriate academic level. The widening achievement gap, as evidenced by NAEP scores, necessitates a re-evaluation of pedagogical practices that might inadvertently exacerbate these disparities.
The data from 2025 serves as a critical juncture, providing concrete evidence of a trend that could have profound implications for the future of literacy education. As the educational landscape continues to evolve, addressing the challenges posed by standardized testing pressures, the influence of curriculum publishers, and the lingering impacts of the pandemic will be crucial in ensuring that all students, regardless of their background, have access to the rich and transformative experience of reading and analyzing full books. The recommendations put forth by the Rand report offer a roadmap for how educators, policymakers, and publishers can work collaboratively to reinstate the value of whole-book engagement in classrooms across the nation. The goal must be to create an educational environment where every student is empowered with strong reading skills and a lifelong appreciation for literature.
