The income-based literacy gap
Long before kindergarten, children from low-income families have far fewer books around them and far less time being read to.
| Measure | Low-income | Middle- and high-income |
|---|---|---|
| Children's books in the neighborhood1 | As few as 1 book per 300 children | About 13 books per child |
| Children's books at home2 | 61% of low-income families own no children's books | The vast majority own age-appropriate books |
| One-on-one reading time before school3 | About 25 hours | 1,000 to 1,700 hours |
Why this matters
- The word gap. A landmark study estimated that by age three, children in low-income families had heard about 32 million fewer words than children in professional families, during the years when the brain is growing fastest.4 Later studies have debated the size of the gap, but agree that the words children hear early on shape their vocabulary.
- Kindergarten readiness. Children without early exposure to books start school behind in vocabulary, book knowledge and pre-reading skills, before their first day of kindergarten.5
It helps close the readiness gap
A 2021 study published in Pediatrics found that children in the Imagination Library caught up with their more advantaged peers on kindergarten readiness within about two years of enrollment. The longer children were enrolled, the more likely they were to be ready for kindergarten. Researchers call this a dose–response relationship, and it's a strong sign that the program itself is making the difference.
A 2021 impact report from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland found the gains were even larger in higher-poverty neighborhoods.
More reading at home, especially where books are scarce
In a 2021 survey of more than 3,000 enrolled families, parents across the board said they read with their children more often after joining. The biggest jump was in high-poverty households. For many families these books make up most of the home library: 64% said Imagination Library books were at least half the books in their home, and 19% said they were all or nearly all of them.
Measurable results in the classroom
A 2017 study in Syracuse, NY found that children enrolled in the Imagination Library were significantly more likely to be kindergarten-ready than similar children who weren't enrolled. The study controlled for race, gender, English-learner status, special-education status and free or reduced-price lunch eligibility.
Why one book a month makes a difference
The Imagination Library's logic model shows how a steady stream of books changes routines at home: more books in the house, more reading together, and stronger early literacy skills.
Sources
- Children's book titles for sale in four Philadelphia neighborhoods. Neuman, S. B., & Celano, D. (2001). Access to print in low-income and middle-income communities. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(1), 8-26.
- A widely cited figure from the National Center for Family Literacy.
- Estimates from Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print. MIT Press.
- Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (2003). The early catastrophe: The 30 million word gap by age 3. American Educator, 27(1), 4-9.
- Raising a Reader gets children started early. American Libraries (2010).