New Studies Show Promise for Closing Literacy Gaps Among Multilingual Learners
Independent Research Finds Vista Literacy Curriculum Associated with Improved Reading and Writing Outcomes
Today, Vista, the K-12 division of Vista Higher Learning, announced results from two independent studies conducted by third-party research firm SEG Measurement. The findings show that middle and high school multilingual learners (MLs) who used Vista's Bridges to Literature and Content and Engage with Literature and Content programs were associated with greater literacy gains than peers receiving traditional instruction.
During the 2024-25 school year, SEG examined Vista’s Bridges across six middle schools in a large southwestern school district serving nearly 23,000 students and Engage in another large district, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students. Across both districts, multilingual learners receiving instruction that incorporated Vista programs demonstrated stronger reading and writing outcomes.
The results arrive as national reading scores remain near historic lows. NAEP data released in January 2025 showed reading scores for both 4th and 8th graders fell another two points from 2022 to 2024, with roughly one-third of 8th graders and about 40 percent of 4th graders performing below the NAEP Basic proficiency level.
