Fourth-grade reading outcomes remain a challenge nationwide.
In 2024, just 30 percent of public-school fourth graders scored at or above NAEP Proficient in reading, and no state reached 50 percent. State results ranged from 20 to 40 percent. At the same time, 20 states have established statewide support or expansion efforts for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free monthly books to children from birth to age five. The overlap highlights how many states are turning to early-access book programs as one strategy to strengthen literacy before children enter school.
This data is updated as of September 3, 2026
