UIC researchers awarded $10M grant to boost young learners’ reading skills
Introduction
When Illinois issued its statewide literacy plan in 2024, it marked a renewed effort to increase reading proficiency among early learners. At the time, the statistics were stark: Only 41% of Illinois students in grades three through eight met proficiency benchmarks in English language, and only 30% reached proficiency on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
To help improve those numbers, the University of Illinois Chicago College of Education will launch WORDS Illinois, a large-scale effort to strengthen early literacy instruction in schools across the state. The program is supported by a $10 million Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Modified on May 01, 2026