Do third grade students from low-income families have access to ‘just right’ books? Results from a home visit study

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which third graders (n = 84) from predominantly low-socioeconomic status families had access to books matched to their reading levels in their homes. On average, students showed home visitors books that fell within the Common Core State Standards’ recommended text difficulty range for Grade 3 (mean Lexile = 587L). However, students who passed a state-mandated reading test (‘good readers’) had books with reading demands well below their reading levels. In contrast, students who failed a state-mandated reading test (‘poor readers’) had books with reading demands well above their reading levels. Findings suggest that poor readers would have limited opportunities to experience successful independent reading in the home, while good readers may find minimal challenge in the books accessible in the home. Findings have implications for efforts dedicated to increasing students’ access to books.