Expanding the Science of Reading: Addressing Gaps in Equity and Inclusion

• In Event: Unsettling the Present: Multigenerational, Interdisciplinary Dialogues on the Past, Present, and Futures of Inclusive Education

Abstract

Objectives
Persistent underachievement in reading among students at the intersections of poverty, disability, and racial/linguistic diversity remains a critical concern. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. students read below proficiency, with the widest gaps among students of color, English learners, students with disabilities, and those experiencing poverty (NAEP, 2024). Despite this, research and intervention design have routinely omitted these populations from foundational literacy discussions (Author, 2006, 2024; Patton-Terry, 2021). Although the “science of reading” (SoR) has led to the widespread adoption of explicit skills instruction, it inadequately addresses how such instruction must be adapted to promote equity. This study examines the knowledge base underpinning reading instruction and intervention, with attention to whether and how students at the intersections of race, language, poverty, and disability are represented. Findings are presented across historical trends, current evidence, and future directions.
Theoretical Framework
Reading research has long reflected deficit-based paradigms, normalizing white, monolingual, middle-class standards while positioning marginalized students as “at risk.” This erasure ignores how policy, pedagogy, and research frameworks exclude culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities. The Culturally Informed Model of Reading Comprehension (CIMRC; Author, in press) offers a shift—situating reading within cognitive, linguistic, and cultural dimensions. It conceptualizes reading as a social and identity-driven practice that values students’ lived experiences and community-based literacies, challenging narrow SoR models that have historically marginalized nondominant groups.
Methods and Data Sources
This systematic review synthesizes empirical, practitioner, and policy literature on reading instruction and intervention, mapping the extent to which race, language, disability, and class are addressed. It connects research equity with classroom practice and policy frameworks in support of diverse learners. Two data sources were analyzed. The first was a scoping review of 728 SoR-related reports (2004–2024), examining participant demographics, outcomes, and attention to intersectional identities. The second was a review of 924 educator-facing resources (e.g., teacher prep materials, practice guides, curriculum ratings), coded to assess representation of minoritized identities and responsive pedagogy.
Results
Empirical research continues to underrepresent culturally and linguistically diverse, low-income, and disabled students. Most studies fail to report or disaggregate data by race, language, or disability, limiting the field’s ability to assess what works for whom. Fewer than 5% of reviewed materials acknowledged intersectional identities. Dominant models often neglect students’ cultural assets, leading to mismatched instruction, disengagement, and misidentification. To address this:
• Broaden SoR frameworks to include culturally and linguistically sustaining practices.
• Adopt intersectional, disability-affirmative models.
• Disaggregate data and design interventions in partnership with families and communities.
• Provide professional development that integrates evidence-based and equity-driven approaches.
Significance
Achievement gaps persist not due to student limitations, but due to narrow, exclusionary models of instruction. Evidence shows that when reading instruction is explicit, differentiated, and culturally grounded, marginalized students thrive. Closing opportunity gaps demands that research, policy, and practice center the identities, languages, and lived knowledge of those most often left out.

Author

• Endia J. Lindo, Texas Christian University