Reading for pleasure is sharply down among schoolkids, report shows

Reading for pleasure among U.S. schoolchildren has declined significantly, with the share of 13-year-olds reading for fun dropping by nearly half since 2012 and 9-year-olds declining 16 percentage points over the same period, according to Education Department data. The decline correlates with increased screen time and lower standardized test scores, with students who read regularly performing better academically than those who don't. Experts emphasize the importance of reversing this trend, as reading skills are foundational to learning across all subjects.