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Fairfax County Public Schools reported a 15.4% year-over-year increase in the number of eighth graders reading on or near grade level in fall 2025, following a push for more challenging instruction and targeted literacy support.

By winter 2026, the district also recorded fewer middle and high school students considered at risk in reading. Schools created more than 7,100 personalized reading plans during the school year to address individual needs.

The approach combines higher expectations with additional help. Students encounter more demanding texts while receiving whole-class lessons, small-group instruction and practice through programs such as Lexia and NoRedInk.

At Robinson Secondary School, teachers have placed greater emphasis on understanding complex material instead of simply recalling it. Learning disabilities teacher Athena Burkett said students’ daily reading has become significantly more challenging.

“It’s been exciting to see that they can do it,” Burkett said.

English teacher Laura said students have also grown more resilient over the past two years. They are learning that difficult reading—and not earning an “A” immediately—can be part of the learning process.

Students requiring more assistance receive focused instruction in skills such as decoding words and comprehending passages. At Thoreau Middle School, reading specialist Michele McNiff provides that support in small groups.

Teachers are also using the Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System, known as VALLSS, to identify students’ specific needs and tailor instruction accordingly.

McNiff said multilingual learners can make strong gains when targeted reading assistance is paired with English-language classes. She recalled students returning after passing the WIDA test and acknowledging that the extra help had worked, even if they had not initially welcomed it.

The district says the literacy initiative is intended to strengthen skills beyond English class. By working through challenging texts and learning to communicate clearly, students are building abilities they can carry into other subjects and life after graduation.