The Reading Crisis: Why So Many Kids Are Struggling
Did you know that nearly 70% of public school students, and an alarming 89% of low-income 4th graders, are reading below proficiency levels? It’s a tough reality, but it’s not the fault of our kids or teachers. The truth is, the way that reading has been taught for decades simply doesn’t work for many learners. Research has shown that some commonly used reading strategies often do more harm than good, making it even harder for students to develop strong, confident reading skills.
The result? A national reading crisis. But there’s good news — Fit Lite can help.
What is Fit Lite?
Fit Lite is an evidence-based, results-driven literacy program designed to help struggling readers get back on track quickly and effectively. A streamlined version of the full Fit Learning model, it’s an ideal solution for schools seeking classroom-based interventions. The enrollments are shorter than the traditional Fit model (around 25 minutes per session) and the curriculum is less individualized.
Importantly, Fit’s approach doesn’t rely on outdated teaching methods. Instead, we use strategies that have been scientifically proven to work, including the following.
Direct instruction: Clear, structured teaching that makes concepts stick.
Fluency-based instruction: Helping kids become fast, accurate, and confident readers.
Curriculum-based measurement: Regular progress tracking to keep learning on pace.
Precision teaching: Precise measurement allowing individual goal setting.
Fit Lite is designed to seamlessly integrate into classrooms and Tier-2 intervention programs, providing educators with a powerful tool to support struggling readers.
Does Fit Lite Work? Absolutely!
We’ve tested the program in real schools with students who were significantly behind in reading, and the results speak for themselves. Here are just a couple of examples.
- Rural school success: In a school where only 20% of third graders were proficient in reading, students received just 400 minutes of Fit Lite instruction over 12 weeks. The impact? Significant gains in reading proficiency across the board. (Sawyer, M.R., Newsome, K.B., and Newsome, D. (2021). From Private Practice to Public Service: A Preliminary Investigation of the Fit Lite Model With At-Risk Students. Behavioral Analysis in Practice, 14, 623–630.)
- Title 1 school breakthrough: In a low-income school in Northern Nevada, the lowest-performing readers gained an average of 31 more words per minute on reading assessments, in just 10 hours of Fit Lite instruction. (Newsome, D., Miller, S.A., Newsome, K., et al. (2023). Charting the Path to Equality in Literacy Instruction: A Precision Teaching Project in a Title-1 School. Behavior and Social Issues.)
These outcomes demonstrate real progress, fast.
Why We Designed This Program
At Fit Learning, we believe that literacy is a fundamental human right. Every child deserves the opportunity to read confidently and succeed in school — and every educator deserves access to the best tools to help make that happen. So, we are committed to bringing Fit Lite to more classrooms, schools, and communities. With the right approach, we can change the trajectory of literacy in the U.S. and provide every child with the skills they need to thrive.
Learn More About Fit Lite
Fit Lite has already improved student outcomes in states like New York, California, Florida, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, South Carolina, Indiana, and Maryland, with plans to expand nationwide.
Interested in bringing Fit Lite to your school or district? Contact us today.
More information about Fit Learning’s methods is available in the Parent’s Guide to Fit Learning St. Louis and overview of the Fit Reading program.