Where to find Philly’s early literacy data
Too many of our children are falling behind in reading. But what does the literacy crisis look like in Philly? And how can we learn more?
Data is an essential tool for educational equity. It helps us make sense of complex problems, sheds light on who is being underserved, and provides clear evidence to call for change. That is if it’s easy to access and understand.
We’ve rounded up our favorite public data sources about early literacy. So whether you’re a parent, caring citizen, community group, or organization, Philly’s early literacy data is a little closer to your fingertips.
Have a question about finding early literacy data, key terms, or what it all means? Ask our Data Manager.
Public Literacy Data Resources
Use these tools to find out how well children are reading near you and what the community is doing to support their early literacy journey.
National Assessment of Educational Progress
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment in reading comprehension is given every two years to students at grades 4 and 8, and approximately every four years at grade 12. The assessment measures reading comprehension by asking students to read selected grade-appropriate materials and answer questions based on what they have read. The results present a broad view of students’ reading knowledge, skills, and performance over time. The most recent reading assessment was given in 2022 to approximately 108,200 grade 4 students and 111,300 grade 8 students.
School District of Philadelphia School Profiles
This is a great first stop for finding out literacy scores and other key data about your district or charter school. It’s interactive, clear, and easy to understand. It even has a user guide and video tutorials.
WHAT YOU CAN FIND
PSSA performance (one measure of how well our children are reading independently)
Instructional reading level targets and performance (how children read with their teacher’s support)
School demographics
Select survey results
The ability to compare schools data
School District of Philadelphia Open Data
This is the home for all data about Philly’s public schools. It’s detailed, it’s dense–we're talking massive data sets over time and downloadable spreadsheets–but we appreciate it because transparency is one critical part of trust.
WHAT YOU CAN FIND
PSSA performance over time
Attendance rates
Parent survey responses about home literacy habits and attendance barriers
Read by 4th Reading is Everywhere Map
We must understand the early literacy problem to change it. But we also have to take time to celebrate solutions. To know that as challenging as it is, there are people citywide stepping up to help. Read by 4th partners are undertaking a project to create a more nuanced image of Philly’s early literacy landscape by mapping literacy-boosting assets in neighborhoods citywide.
This work is ever-growing. If you know a resource we missed, email our Data Manager.
WHAT YOU CAN FIND
Book nooks and little free libraries
Read by 4th partner locations
Talk it Up signage and Playful Learning Landscapes
Parks, libraries, schools
Summer/OST sites that received training on literacy integration
Free and subsidized high-quality childcare
Local Research and Reports
Our partners are doing incredible work in tracking early literacy outcomes, interventions, and more. Their work helps hold us all accountable to children and families across Philadelphia.
As champions for early education, First Up has numerous advocacy reports and fact sheets for anyone interested in learning more about early childhood education policy issues and getting involved.
PCCY is a fierce advocate for our children. They have share critically important city, regional, and statewide research about the wellbeing of our youth. Specifically focusing on the areas of health, early learning, education, and family stability.
Philadelphia Department of Public Health Data
The health of the city goes far beyond exercise and life expectancy. DPH takes a critical look at factors that impact early literacy like child and maternal wellbeing.
School District of Philadelphia Research Briefs
In addition to the datasets above, the School District also regularly reports and briefs about current strategies and special topics impacting the education of our children.
