New Report: Literacy Efforts a Patchwork in Maine Schools

September 10, 2026

The decline of early literacy in Maine is a solvable problem, according to a new report by Educate Maine. Offering new and unique data on how the state's schools are teaching K-3 students, the report says strong statewide and district-level leadership will be necessary to ensure more Maine children have foundational skills in reading by Grade 4.

The report, Reading at Grade Level in Third Grade Is Imperative examines Maine's early literacy decline, highlights impactful early literacy work in other states, and offers corrective policy solutions to Maine's current and future leaders.

"We all know that third grade is a key time for our students. It's the time by which kids have typically mastered the core elements of knowing how to read, and can then easily take on the increased reading needed in all other core subjects," said Tony DiMarco, chair of Educate Maine's board of directors, and retired IDEXX vice president of research, development and global manufacturing. "Yet, too many Maine children are not reading proficiently by fourth grade. Every child needs the opportunity to succeed. Creating a literate society is an economic and social imperative."

Strong early language and literacy skills provide the foundation for reaching the fourth grade reading milestone. Studies have shown that this foundation also supports student skills and leads to academic achievement and workforce readiness. Conversely, students who are not reading at grade level by fourth grade are more likely to struggle academically throughout school; drop out of school; struggle to secure and keep gainful employment; and are at higher risk of being involved in criminal activity.
DiMarco said that the Educate Maine report shows that Maine's decline in early literacy is a
fixable problem that will require state- and district-level leadership. He pointed to three key elements to achieve strong literacy outcomes: high-quality instructional materials aligned to the science of reading; well-prepared educators who receive ongoing coaching and professional learning; and supportive conditions for all students that include universal screenings, sufficient instructional time, ongoing assessments to measure progress, and targeted interventions for students who need additional support.
Steve deCastro, CEO of Maine Community Bank, joined DiMarco in releasing the new report.
"There has been a lot of attention paid to Maine's declining student assessment scores, and rightly so," deCastro said. "The national assessment found that only 26 percent of Maine fourth graders are proficient in reading, while the state assessment reports that 64 percent are meeting grade-level expectations. The tests measure achievement differently, but neither result changes the larger point: too many Maine students are not developing the skills they need to thrive. Our students are bright and capable. We need to make sure every one of them has the tools and support to succeed."

deCastro continued, "Maine employers depend on our public education system to prepare graduates who are ready to build careers, start businesses, and contribute to their communities," deCastro continued. "The fourth graders reflected in today's test results will enter the workforce in less than a decade. Their academic success is a workforce development priority, and Maine's business community is ready to work alongside educators and families to help every student reach their full potential."

The Educate Maine study addresses a data gap on what reading curricula are being used in Maine elementary schools. The report describes what Educate Maine learned about the use of science-aligned reading programs among responding Maine school districts, including differences in program use, instructional time, educator capacity, and implementation practices.
The survey, completed by 60 percent of schools districts representing 70 percent of all Maine elementary schools, indicated that 46 different reading programs are being used. These include a wide variety of literacy programs; no single program is most common. Sixty-seven percent of districts are using multiple programs (from two to five) including at least one program based in the science of literacy. Just 18 percent of districts are using only science-based programs. And 15 percent are not using science-based programs at all.

The Educate Maine study found that instructional practices varied across participating school districts. Nearly two-thirds of these schools using at least one science-based reading program reported using it for two years or less. The vast majority (81.5 percent) of districts report delivering science-based reading programs five days per week. Daily instructional time ranged from 10 to 150 minutes, with a median of 30 minutes. Experts note that a daily core literacy block of 90-120+ minutes might be required.

The report also examined early literacy in other states, noting that 43 states have passed evidence-aligned literacy legislation in recent years and 44 states have passed legislation that requires teachers to receive training in the science of reading. Maine has done neither.

Many states that have prioritized evidence-based literacy instruction demonstrate improved early literacy. Mississippi, for example, has paired high-quality science-aligned instructional materials with statewide teacher professional training, literacy coaches, and early intervention efforts. Since 2013, Mississippi has achieved the nation's largest gains in fourth grade reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) rankings, improving from 49th in the nation to 9th in 2024. Connecticut has similarly invested in statewide implementation of science-aligned reading instruction, teacher training, and high-quality instructional materials while achieving fourth grade reading performance above the national average.

DiMarco and deCastro call on Maine's next governor and legislators to make improving early literacy a top policy priority. "The evidence is clear. We know how to make early literacy outcomes better for our students. Doing so will strengthen their futures, and Maine's."

To read the report, go here: https://www.educatemaine.org/research-reports

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