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130% Growth in Early Literacy-Turning Struggling Readers into Confident Learners

Partnering with one of the upper midwest’s largest school districts, Catapult Learning delivered high-impact, in-person literacy support to over 1,300 young students. Results included a 130% median percentile gain and a major drop in urgent intervention needs.
November 27, 2024
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During the 2023-2024 school year, Catapult Learning partnered with one of the largest school districts in the Upper Midwest to deliver High-Impact Tutoring services. Among the most powerful learners-proving that with the right support, early intervention works.

Catapult Learning’s AchieveLiteracy program, aligned to the Science of Reading, provided systematic, explicit instruction tailored to students’ developmental levels. Delivered in small groups two to five times per week, lessons focused on building the foundational reading skills essential for long-term academic success. Highly trained tutors fostered a supportive, encouraging environment where learned can thrive.

Program Snapshot:

In-person

high-impact
literacy tutoring

schools served
students supported

Laying the Foundation for Lifelong Learning Starts Early

Early literacy is one of the strongest predictors of long-term academic achievement. Without support, students who start behind often stay behind. Without support, students who start behind often stay behind. But with Catapult Learning’s high-impact model, even students with the greatest needs made remarkable progress in a single school year.

Results

130% Growth in Early Literacy

At the start of the school year, the district’s youngest learners had a median National Percentile Rank (NPR) of just 10—placing them well below national averages and at risk of long-term academic struggles. With Catapult Learning’s in-person literacy support, that median jumped to the 23rd percentile, a 130% increase in performance.

Urgent Intervention Needs Almost Cut in Half

Students needing urgent Early Literacy support dropped from 48% to 26%, highlighting the program’s success in closing critical learning gaps.

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