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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Parental literacy programs

Overview

  • Influence: Parental literacy programs
  • Domain: Home
  • Sub-Domain: Home environment
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Likely to have positive impact
  • Influence Definition: Programs involving parents using literacy programs

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 9
  • Number of studies: 298
  • Number of students: 41,013
  • Number of effects: 355
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.39
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Review of Educational Research Van Steensel, McElvany, Kurvers & Herppich How effective are family literacy programs? Results of a meta-analysis 2011 Family literacy interventions 30 NA 47 0.18
Scientific Studies of Reading Sénéchal Testing the home literacy model: Parent involvement in kindergarten is differentially related to grade 4 reading comprehension, fluency, spelling, and reading for pleasure 2006 Family literacy interventions 16 1,340 16 0.35
Early Childhood Research Quarterly Manz, Hughes, Barnabas, Bracaliello & Ginsburg-Block A descriptive review and meta-analysis of family-based emergent literacy interventions: To what extent is the research applicable to low-income, ethnic-minority or linguistically-diverse young children? 2010 Family based literacy programs 14 NA 14 0.33
Report van Steensel, Fikrat-Wevers, Bramer, & Arends Family literacy-programma's voor kinderen in achterstandssituaties: Een meta-analyse van effecten en werkzame elementen. 2019 Family literacy interventions 48 NA 65 0.41
Review of Educational Research Fikrat-Wevers, van Steensel, & Arends Effects of Family Literacy Programs on the Emergent Literacy Skills of Children From Low-SES Families: A Meta-Analysis. 2021 Family literacy interventions 42 NA 65 0.41
Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice Don, Wu, Dong, & Tang The Effects of Home Literacy Environment on Children's Reading Comprehension Development: A Meta-Analysis 2020 Home literacy programs 59 19,230 59 0.32
Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth Petersen-Brown, Hawley, Fischer, Schneider A review and meta-analysis of literacy interventions implemented by caregivers at home.  2024 Parent run literacy interventions 43 11,676 43 0.71
Review of Educational Research Sénéchal & Young The effect of family literacy interventions on children's acquisition of reading from Kindergarten to Grade 3: A meta-analytic review. 2008 Family literacy interventions 16 1,340 16 0.65
Meta-analyses and narrative review of home-based interventions to improve literacy and mathematics outcomes for children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old Cahoon, Lira, Perez, Pando, Garcia, Garcia & Simms Meta-analyses and narrative review of home-based interventions to improve literacy and mathematics outcomes for children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. 2022 Home literacy and math programs 30 7,427 30 0.14
TOTAL/AVERAGE 298 41,013 355 0.39
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