This quasi-experimental study examined 1,598 students in grades 3–8 across 24 schools and 5 districts in Wayne County, Michigan during the 2024–2025 school year.

Researchers compared ELA growth for students who used Newsela regularly with matched peers who did not use Newsela.

Key Findings

This study found that:

• Newsela users demonstrated 33% greater ELA growth compared to expected baseline growth
• Newsela’s impact was equivalent to an additional 60 days of instruction
• After controlling for prior achievement and demographics, Newsela users scored 2.7 percentile points higher on average
• The positive effect was stronger in Title I schools
• Students used Newsela an average of 2–3 times per month (≈28 uses per year)

Who Should Use This Study?

This resource is designed for:

• District superintendents and administrators
• Title I and federal programs leaders
• Literacy and curriculum directors
• Research and evaluation teams