Newsela usage is linked to 33% improvement over expected ELA growth at Wayne County Public Schools

December 17, 2025

Efficacy study preview

Newsela use is associated with stronger ELA growth in Wayne County

Explore a quasi-experimental study that compares fall-to-spring ELA growth for regular Newsela users and students who did not use Newsela during the 2024–2025 school year.

Key Findings

What the Wayne County study found

Review the headline findings from the study while keeping the full methodology and technical details in the downloadable report.

33% improvement

Growth over baseline instruction

The study found that Newsela’s impact on ELA was equivalent to a 33% improvement over expected growth.

60 days of instruction

Additional instructional impact

Newsela use was associated with an ELA impact equivalent to 60 additional days of instruction.

+2.7 percentile points

Higher average ELA scores

When accounting for fall scores, grade, assessment, school, and district, students who used Newsela scored about 2.7 percentile points higher on average.

Title I schools

Stronger effect in Title I settings

Analyses indicated that the positive effect of Newsela was even stronger for Title I eligible schools.

Authored By

Kayleigh Ryherd, Ph.D.
Kayleigh Ryherd, Ph.D.
Lead Research Analyst

Newsela usage is linked to 33% improvement over expected ELA growth at Wayne County Public Schools

ELA growth study

Efficacy study preview

Newsela use is associated with stronger ELA growth in Wayne County

Explore a quasi-experimental study that compares fall-to-spring ELA growth for regular Newsela users and students who did not use Newsela during the 2024–2025 school year.

Key Findings

What the Wayne County study found

Review the headline findings from the study while keeping the full methodology and technical details in the downloadable report.

33% improvement

Growth over baseline instruction

The study found that Newsela’s impact on ELA was equivalent to a 33% improvement over expected growth.

60 days of instruction

Additional instructional impact

Newsela use was associated with an ELA impact equivalent to 60 additional days of instruction.

+2.7 percentile points

Higher average ELA scores

When accounting for fall scores, grade, assessment, school, and district, students who used Newsela scored about 2.7 percentile points higher on average.

Title I schools

Stronger effect in Title I settings

Analyses indicated that the positive effect of Newsela was even stronger for Title I eligible schools.

Authored By

Kayleigh Ryherd, Ph.D.
Kayleigh Ryherd, Ph.D.
Lead Research Analyst

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