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All resources Efficacy Study & Validity Reports

Intentional practice encourages deep reading and boosts ELA achievement: A study of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs)

December 19, 2025

All Resources Efficacy Study & Validity Reports

Intentional practice encourages deep reading and boosts ELA achievement: A study of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs)

This study examines how intentional use of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs) supports deeper reading and improved ELA achievement.

Using data from nearly 40,000 students in grades 3–8, the study evaluates the relationship between CFU engagement and performance on MAP Growth Reading assessments.

Key Findings

This study found that:

Students who regularly completed CFUs demonstrated higher MAP Growth Reading scores than peers with similar Newsela usage
CFU engagement showed a statistically significant relationship with ELA achievement, even when controlling for prior performance
Students with consistent CFU use demonstrated greater reading gains than students who primarily read without responding to comprehension checks
Findings support the role of intentional comprehension monitoring in driving literacy growth