Access to Free Books Improves Literacy Achievement: Evidence From a Five-Year Randomized Trial

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 2:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Evaluations of Literacy Programs: Promoting a Love of Reading (Table 11)

Abstract

This preregistered school-level randomized controlled trial evaluates the literacy achievement impacts of receiving free books over a five-year period from 2018-19 through 2022-23. During each year, K-6 students in 30 randomly assigned Milwaukee public schools received approximately eight books while students in the 30 control books did not benefit from the book distributions. Tracking the longitudinal outcomes for students attending grade 1 and 2 at baseline, we found a treatment effect equivalent to an effect size of d = 0.15 on the spring 2023 Wisconsin Forward English/language arts (ELA) Exam. This evidence from the first known randomized study of a schoolwide free book distribution program suggests a relatively simple and replicable strategy for improving literacy outcomes for high-poverty urban schools.

Author

• Geoffrey D. Borman, Arizona State University