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A national picture, told by the people closest to it

In April 2026, Renaissance Australia partnered with YouGov to survey 508 teachers across every state and territory, every school type, and every year level. We wanted to understand what teachers are actually experiencing – what really happens when the bell rings and a teacher looks out at 25 students with wildly different reading abilities, shrinking attention spans, and a curriculum that keeps moving forward whether everyone is ready or not.

What they told us was sobering – but not surprising.

This report is just the starting point. On 24 June, we’re bringing the research to life in a live webinar session with educational psychology expert Dr Julie Vogel – exploring what the findings mean for your school and what you can do about it.

Sign up for the webinar

97% of teachers say students in their school are facing reading challenges

This isn’t a problem confined to certain schools or postcodes. It’s the daily reality of teaching in Australia in 2026.

43% of teachers say struggling readers are going undetected in their school

83% feel confident they know every student’s reading level. The data tells a different story.

68% would use reading more in class if they had better tools to track progress

The will is there. What’s missing is visibility.

What the research reveals

Reading underperformance is one of the most consequential and least-visible challenges in Australian education. This report draws on responses from 508 teachers alongside NAPLAN 2025 data, the Grattan Institute’s Reading Guarantee, and Renaissance’s own research across 1.8 million students.

In this report, you’ll discover:

  • Why 1 in 3 Australian students is still not meeting literacy proficiency benchmarks — and what NAPLAN 2025 tells us about where the gaps are growing
  • The six barriers teachers say are driving students away from reading
  • Why confidence and clarity are not the same thing — and what the gap between them costs students
  • How home reading is becoming invisible, and why 83% of teachers say it’s a significant barrier to improving outcomes
  • What the research says about the right book, the right student, and the right level — and the tools helping schools make that match at scale

What’s inside the PDF

  • Key findings from 508 Australian teachers on reading challenges, barriers, and what would make the biggest difference
  • 2025 NAPLAN data in context: where Australian students stand right now
  • The confidence vs clarity gap — and what it means for students going undetected
  • The home reading problem: why visibility beyond the classroom matters
  • Evidence-based tools helping schools close the gap — Star Assessments, Accelerated Reader, and myON

Download the Free Report