Reading comprehension marks a turning point in middle school, as students increasingly learn from complex texts in each subject area. For many middle-grade students, this may be the last opportunity to strengthen reading comprehension skills before academic challenges begin to grow.

Dr. Kay Wijekumar of our Department of Teaching, Learning & Culture is expanding an evidence-based framework designed to help middle-grade students develop the strategies they need to succeed in reading and learning. “If students master this essential skill, they are more likely to experience long-term academic success,” she said.

Through the Enable Middle-Graders with Powerful Reading Comprehension (EMPOWER) project, Wijekumar is scaling the Knowledge Acquisition and Transformation (KAT) framework across Arkansas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. The project will reach approximately 20,000 students in grades 6–8 who may have fewer academic resources and will be evaluated through a multi-site cluster randomized controlled trial in 72 schools.

EMPOWER is funded by the U.S. Department of Education as part of a larger national commitment to advancing literacy nationwide. This $13.7 million grant brings research-based approaches into classrooms where students can gain confidence in their ability to succeed.

Unlike many traditional reading programs that focus on isolated skills and expect students to connect them on their own, KAT uses a structured approach that helps students recognize what matters most in a passage. Students pick up strategies for identifying main ideas, summaries and inferences to develop a logically organized understanding of what they read and advance stronger memory of the text. These strategies are effective for students who may have struggled with reading earlier since challenges can build up over time from text complexity and gaps in instruction.

Students practice reading comprehension strategies using instructional materials aligned with the KAT framework.

KAT is taught through a six-step routine developed through research and teacher feedback. “Each step is carefully sequenced and required,” Wijekumar noted. “All of these steps achieve outstanding outcomes for students.”

In practice, students receive a 15-minute KAT pre-lesson each day focused on enhancing comprehension techniques. Students learn how to identify the main idea of what they read, build on that understanding with a summary supported by evidence and apply inferences to fill gaps in meaning. As lessons progress, students practice these strategies with other reading skills, such as author’s purpose and character traits.

The project sets students up for success at any starting point in reading comprehension. “When comprehension improves, it opens the door for learning in science, social studies, mathematics and beyond,” she emphasizes.

An educator models step-by-step reading comprehension skills to help students identify key ideas in text.

EMPOWER also prepares educators with instructional tools and implementation support. Teachers will use KAT lesson guides to integrate the framework into textbook reading passages, while students may use software to practice strategy use. Educators will receive 2 days of practice-based professional development with ongoing engagement through weekly professional learning communities, monthly webinars, coaching and modeling sessions and lesson plans and videos available in a resource library.

Beyond the project’s implementation, EMPOWER will form long-term resources to encourage continued adoption. These include a state-specific roadmap for middle-school literacy success, guidance for aligning KAT with standards and textbooks and a searchable web-based library of instructional materials designed to support future educators. “With instruction shaped by strong evidence and practical tools, literacy improvements can keep growing for years to come.” Wijekumar said.