Make Every Minute Count: A Strategic Approach to Literacy

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to join many planning meetings where I’ve worked with school leaders to discuss how to boost reading scores, close gaps, and better support our students. We look at new programs, new assessments, and new schedules. But too often, one of the simplest questions doesn’t get enough attention: How much time are students actually spending reading each day?

Time matters. More than almost any other single factor, the amount students read predicts how well they’ll read. But here’s what I’ve learned working in and with school districts around the country: even the most dedicated educators often overestimate how much real reading time students get.

I’ve heard teachers and leaders say, “Many of us look at a 90-minute literacy block and think students must be getting enough reading.” But when we actually tracked it—minute by minute—the true independent reading time was often closer to seven or ten minutes. The rest of the block was taken up by transitions, whole-group instruction, or other tasks.

That realization led me to a simple, clear approach I call 20-20-20.

It breaks independent reading time into three manageable chunks:

• 20 minutes during ELA or the literacy block

• 20 minutes in other content areas like science or social studies

• 20 minutes at home

That’s an hour a day of authentic reading—but it doesn’t have to be all in one sitting or added on top of an already packed schedule. Instead, it’s woven throughout the day in ways that support learning everywhere. Research shows just how impactful that time can be. If students read 60 minutes a day, they can reach the 95th percentile in reading growth and acceleration [1].

Reading isn’t just for ELA. Students need to be able to read and comprehend texts in science, social studies, math, and more. If they can’t make sense of a lab procedure, a historical primary source, or a word problem, they’re cut off from the learning. Integrating reading time into these subjects helps students build background knowledge, vocabulary, and stamina.

Research supports this. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Early Warning report highlights third grade as a critical pivot: students who aren’t reading proficiently by then are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

Meanwhile, studies by Guthrie and Humenick (2004) [2] show that when students have access to interesting texts and choices, their reading motivation and achievement both increase. Simply put: the more students read, the better they do.

The 20-20-20 model is about making sure that happens every day—in a way that’s doable. Teachers don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Start small. Track the time. Build routines.

Make independent reading a part of the literacy block, but also look for opportunities in other subjects. Share texts that connect to what students are learning in science or history. Encourage them to read at home—not as a worksheet assignment, but as a genuine extension of what they love.

This isn’t about mandating one more thing for teachers. It’s about giving them a structure that supports what they’re already trying to do: help kids become confident, capable readers who can take on any subject.

And it’s not about perfection. Some days will hit the target exactly—or exceed it. Others will fall short. That’s okay. The power of 20-20-20 isn’t in strict compliance; it’s in the mindset shift it creates. It reminds us that reading shouldn’t be confined to a single block or left to chance. It’s the thread that runs through the entire school day and follows students home.

If there’s one thing I want leaders to know, it’s that this is possible.

Even in busy, demanding school environments. Even with all the challenges educators face. You don’t need a new curriculum or major funding to start tracking and protecting reading time. You just need a commitment to making sure students have regular, meaningful opportunities to read.

Because when students read more—when they have time every day to get lost in books, build knowledge, and practice their skills—they don’t just become better readers. They become better learners.

That’s a 20-20-20 vision for achievable academic growth. And it’s a goal worth pursuing.

This article was originally published by Literacy Today.