As literacy scores drop, a study designed to assist halts unexpectedly

Experts note that children encountering difficulties in reading frequently struggle with concentration as well. However, these individuals often receive inadequate assistance, with reading and focus challenges being approached independently.

Curious about the potential to assist students facing reading and attention challenges, Harvard specialist Phil Capin and his colleague Garrett Roberts from the University of Denver formulated a study aimed at exploring the advantages of a cohesive intervention strategy. The research was intended to assess the impact of a singular, integrated initiative known as Supporting Attention and Reading for Kids (SPARK) on pupils in grades 3-5. Backed by a grant of $3.2 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Capin’s study commenced in July of the previous year.

The school-based research component of the initiative was scheduled to kick off in the autumn — involving around 400 students across six Texas schools — in collaboration with experts from both the University of Denver and the University of Texas. The scholars were set to follow the students over four years to ascertain if the intervention would enhance their capabilities in word reading, vocabulary, and reading fluency and comprehension.

However, the entire effort came to an abrupt halt when Capin’s project was terminated in May due to an action by the Trump administration, which froze over $2.2 billion in federal research funding in its ongoing conflict with Harvard.

“The grants that received funding and were later terminated underwent a meticulous assessment process. … Both initiatives had the potential to enhance the lives of students.”

This represents a significant setback for an essential research initiative, stated Capin, an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Yet, he emphasized that the most significant loss is for students who might have benefitted from new research-based methodologies. It is estimated that 25 to 40 percent of students struggling with reading experience higher levels of inattention, as highlighted in various studies. During a Senate testimony in 1998, NIH leadership declared that literacy challenges in the United States represented a serious public health issue.

“The necessity to enhance reading instruction for students vulnerable to reading challenges persists,” Capin remarked. “We remain dedicated to discovering avenues to proceed with this work, though the method remains uncertain.”

Capin is hopeful that research can continue with the University’s backing, or through other funding bodies and private organizations. He maintains a positive outlook.

“It’s improbable that we will secure the necessary funds to conduct the research as we had originally planned, which was validated by our peers through a rigorous review process and deemed innovative and of great significance,” Capin noted. “I don’t foresee us being able to conduct the exact study that we proposed, but we are determined to seek solutions to enhance this endeavor so that we can improve the outcomes for those we aim to assist.”

Second project encountered a setback

For Capin, the week of May 12 proved challenging. During the same week he discovered that his SPARK project had been terminated, another research grant was also halted before commencing its second year. Named STORIES, this four-year initiative aimed to formulate and assess a novel intervention to aid multilingual students in grades 2-4 in comprehending narrative texts more effectively.

The $2 million project received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences, the research wing of the Department of Education. The study was intended to be executed in collaboration with specialists in speech and pathology at Utah State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Revere Public Schools in Massachusetts, which serves a large population of English learners.

“Numerous multilingual students are refining their proficiency in English,” Capin stated. “Research indicates that many of these students would greatly benefit from supplementary support to enhance their academic language in English.”

There has been a decline in reading scores among students across the U.S. According to the latest Nation’s Report Card, the reading scores of fourth graders in 2024 were lower than those in 2022 and even less than in 2019. The termination of this initiative obstructs the collaboration between students and teachers aimed at improving results, Capin explained.

“These decisions affect all students who would have benefited from these practices through research, along with countless teachers and students who could have potentially acquired knowledge about new evidence-based methodologies,” he shared.

Like other research grants suspended by the administration, Capin’s two projects were financed based on thorough peer evaluations and a stringent process. Capin asserted that the sudden termination of these grants jeopardizes the nation’s research system, which should operate free from political influences.

“Funding decisions — be it for scientific studies or the cessation of such research — ought to be grounded in careful appraisals, and based on whether the research can genuinely benefit individuals,” Capin articulated. “The grants that were funded and subsequently terminated underwent a highly detailed evaluation process to ascertain if the concepts were innovative and if the methodologies were suitable. Both initiatives had the potential to improve the lives of students. Even amidst these changes, our commitment to enhancing literacy outcomes for children remains robust.”