​Happy New Year from ReadWorks! Like educators and students across the country, our team is off and running in 2026 with updates and news to share. We are grateful for supporters like you who make our work possible. Thank you!

We’re proud to share that ReadWorks has been named one of the Top 25 Global Impact Certified EdTech organizations by Edu Evidence, an independent organization focused on identifying education tools backed by strong research and real-world results.

This recognition reflects what has always been at the heart of our work: supporting teachers with high-quality, free resources that build the knowledge and vocabulary students need for strong reading comprehension.

Research-proven, classroom-tested impact

At ReadWorks, research is embedded into everything that we do and every product that we create. Our instructional resources and routines have been tested in classrooms, with studies demonstrating measurable growth for both educators and students. These findings guide how we design, refine, and scale our tools so teachers can feel confident using them to support effective instruction.

From Article-A-Day to differentiated question sets, our approach is grounded in evidence showing that building background knowledge and academic vocabulary is essential to comprehension. You can explore the research behind our work on our Research page.
Why this recognition matters
Edu Evidence’s Global Impact Certification highlights organizations that demonstrate:

• A clear theory of impact
• Strong research alignment
• Evidence of effectiveness in real classrooms
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Being included among the Top 25 globally reinforces our commitment to ensuring that teachers, especially those serving lower-income and under-resourced schools and communities have access to tools that are not only free, but proven to work.

We are grateful to Edu Evidence for this recognition and for elevating the importance of evidence-based decision-making in education. We also thank the educators who use ReadWorks every day and help bring this research to life in classrooms across the country and around the world.

Together, we remain committed to advancing literacy instruction that empowers teachers and helps all students become confident, capable readers.

Every ReadWorks article is designed to help you build literacy skills while making real-world connections. Here’s how these materials support your classroom:
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• Pre-reading supports to introduce vocabulary and background knowledge
  
  
• Multiple-choice comprehension questions to build close reading and test readiness
  
  
• Open-ended discussion prompts that encourage deeper thinking and conversation
  
  

Flexible formats for whole-class lessons, small groups, or independent practice

👉 View Texts for Grades 5–6
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These articles are ideal for younger middle school students who are learning to connect ideas across time and reflect on how individuals make an impact. The selection includes both well-known figures and everyday women whose actions changed lives and communities.

Sample Topics:
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• Pioneering women in STEM and politics
• Everyday change-makers and unsung heroes
• Biographies that highlight resilience and leadership
  
  

Classroom Activities:

1. Character Journals: Write a journal entry from the perspective of the woman featured in the article.
   
   
2. Visual Reflections: Illustrate a key moment in the story and explain its meaning.
   
   
3. Mini-Biographies: Research and write a short report about a featured woman.
   
   
4. Group Discussions: Use comprehension questions to spark conversations about identity, courage, or perseverance.
   
   
5. Timeline Remix: After reading several short biographies, students work in small groups to create a visual timeline that shows when each woman lived and what was happening in the world at that time. 
   
   
6. “What If?” Story Extension: Ask students to imagine what might have happened if the woman they read about had not taken action or pursued her goal. 
   
   
7. Community Connection Map: Students create a simple map or diagram showing how the woman in their article impacted others. This could include family members, community groups, or future generations. 
   
   

These Women's History Month activities for younger students encourage personal connection and critical thinking while building literacy skills.

👉 View Texts for Grades 7–8
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Older middle school students are ready to explore complex ideas about power, justice, and historical impact. These articles allow students to analyze how women have influenced history, society, and even today’s headlines.

Sample Topics:

• Women leading social justice movements
• Female scientists and innovators
• Cultural and artistic contributions from women around the world
  
  

Classroom Activities:

1. Socratic Seminars: Lead thoughtful conversations using paired articles with similar themes.
   
   
2. Comparative Writing: Compare the leadership styles or challenges faced by two women in different contexts.
   
   
3. Mini Magazines: Have students collaborate to create a magazine with article summaries, reflections, and creative pieces.
   
   
4. Modern Connections: Ask students to connect a historical figure to a current woman leader, issue, or event.
   
   
5. Primary Source Reflection: Pair an article with a related quote, photograph, speech excerpt, or historical document. Ask students to write a short reflection explaining how the primary source adds to their understanding of the woman’s story. 
   
   
6. Debate the Decision: Have students identify a key decision the woman made in the article. In small groups, students debate whether they would have made the same choice if they were in her position, using evidence from the text to support their arguments. 
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7. Legacy Letter: Students write a letter from the perspective of a future student or community member explaining how the woman’s actions continue to matter today.
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These Women's History Month activities support writing, discussion, and cross-curricular connections that deepen student engagement and understanding.

This fall, student writers from across the country put their creativity on full display in the Fall into Fiction Writing Contest, and we are thrilled to announce our two winners!

The contest invited students to craft original short stories inspired by a fiction passage from ReadWorks or StoryShares, using thoughtfully designed prompts that encouraged imagination and individual perspectives. We received 87 submissions from students across the United States, making the selection process both exciting and challenging.

After careful review by experts from ReadWorks and StoryShares, two standout stories rose to the top.

Grades 9–10 Winner
Kate H. (Missouri)
Story title: Goodbye George

Kate’s story stood out for its emotional depth and originality. When asked about entering the contest, Kate shared that her English teacher, Ms. Partney, introduced it as a class assignment. Personal experience played a meaningful role in shaping her writing, as Kate drew inspiration from her own experience with OCD.

Her favorite part of the process? Choosing the title.

Kate’s advice to young writers is simple and powerful:
“Don’t ever stop asking questions. Remain curious always.”

👉 Read Kate’s story, Goodbye George 

Grades 11–12 Winner
Evan D. (Nevada)
Story title: The Watch

Evan’s suspense-filled story captured readers from start to finish. He entered the contest after his English teacher, Mrs. Snyder, encouraged the entire class to submit a piece. Inspired by his love of suspenseful movies, Evan leaned into tension and pacing, especially in the ending—his favorite part to write.

His advice for fellow writers:
“Even when it seems like you don’t have a chance, try anyway. Because you might win big!”​

👉 Read Evan’s story, The Watch 

Students were asked to read one of two passages--The Sun in Your Spoon from ReadWorks or Golden from StoryShares—and respond to a creative writing prompt about attention vs. distraction, or how opposites attract or clash. Winning stories are now published on ReadWorks.org to be shared with thousands of classrooms. 

Thank you to the teachers who supported this contest and their student writers! Congratulations to Kate and Evan!