Comparisons of US students with those in other developed countries show that US students perform well in comparison to others in the early grades, but sink in the rankings as they get older. This book provides evidence for why schools must continue to offer reading support in middle school and high school. It also looks at the relationship of literacy to other indicators of academic success, including grades, teacher ratings, and avoidance of behavioral problems. The framework for the book is the Home-School Study of Language and Literacy Development, which began in 1988 and targeted 83 low-income 3-year old children in and around the Boston area.