Breaking the Cycle: Cumulative Disadvantage in Literacy

Abstract

This research used a mixed-methods framework to investigate cumulative disadvantage in literacy, specifically focusing on the differences between early struggling readers who recover and early struggling readers who continue struggling. Quantitative analysis used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 (ECLS-K), whereas qualitative data came from in-depth interviews with 42 teachers. This research suggests three main findings about cumulative disadvantage in reading: (1) Cumulative disadvantage is not the only pathway available for students with early difficulties in reading; (2) recovery is based on alignment of child, home, and school factors; and (3) schools can act as a site of intervention to disrupt the cumulative disadvantage trajectory through the use of high-quality instruction and high-quality intervention.