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Intentional practice encourages deep reading and boosts ELA achievement: A study of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs)
December 19, 2025
Efficacy study preview
Review how CFU practice is associated with stronger ELA outcomes
This study of nearly 40,000 students in grades 3–8 examines how Newsela’s Checks for Understanding are associated with ELA achievement on MAP Growth.
Key Findings
What the study found
Review the headline findings from the study while keeping the full research details in the downloadable report.
+2.5points
Regular CFU use
Regular CFU use was associated with ELA achievement approximately 2.5 percentile points higher when accounting for overall Newsela use.
+3.5points
Deep learner advantage
Students with thoughtful, consistent CFU engagement showed ELA achievement approximately 3.5 percentile points higher than students with shallow or sporadic use.
1sttry success
Stronger outcomes
Students who tended to answer CFU questions correctly on the first try had stronger ELA outcomes than students who needed multiple attempts.
CFUscaffold
Comprehension monitoring
The report describes CFUs as built-in checkpoints that prompt students to pause, monitor comprehension, and evaluate their understanding as they read.
Intentional practice encourages deep reading and boosts ELA achievement: A study of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs)
December 19, 2025
Efficacy study preview
Review how CFU practice is associated with stronger ELA outcomes
This study of nearly 40,000 students in grades 3–8 examines how Newsela’s Checks for Understanding are associated with ELA achievement on MAP Growth.
Key Findings
What the study found
Review the headline findings from the study while keeping the full research details in the downloadable report.
+2.5points
Regular CFU use
Regular CFU use was associated with ELA achievement approximately 2.5 percentile points higher when accounting for overall Newsela use.
+3.5points
Deep learner advantage
Students with thoughtful, consistent CFU engagement showed ELA achievement approximately 3.5 percentile points higher than students with shallow or sporadic use.
1sttry success
Stronger outcomes
Students who tended to answer CFU questions correctly on the first try had stronger ELA outcomes than students who needed multiple attempts.
CFUscaffold
Comprehension monitoring
The report describes CFUs as built-in checkpoints that prompt students to pause, monitor comprehension, and evaluate their understanding as they read.
Intentional practice encourages deep reading and boosts ELA achievement: A study of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs)
Efficacy study preview
Review how CFU practice is associated with stronger ELA outcomes
This study of nearly 40,000 students in grades 3–8 examines how Newsela’s Checks for Understanding are associated with ELA achievement on MAP Growth.
Key Findings
What the study found
Review the headline findings from the study while keeping the full research details in the downloadable report.
+2.5points
Regular CFU use
Regular CFU use was associated with ELA achievement approximately 2.5 percentile points higher when accounting for overall Newsela use.
+3.5points
Deep learner advantage
Students with thoughtful, consistent CFU engagement showed ELA achievement approximately 3.5 percentile points higher than students with shallow or sporadic use.
1sttry success
Stronger outcomes
Students who tended to answer CFU questions correctly on the first try had stronger ELA outcomes than students who needed multiple attempts.
CFUscaffold
Comprehension monitoring
The report describes CFUs as built-in checkpoints that prompt students to pause, monitor comprehension, and evaluate their understanding as they read.
Intentional practice encourages deep reading and boosts ELA achievement: A study of Newsela’s Checks for Understanding (CFUs)A large-scale study links Newsela Checks for Understanding to higher ELA achievement and deeper reading engagement.Oct 07, 2026https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/66f182e7ce15762d01b32e09/6945896891d9e79448c68b8d_Newsela%20Validity%20Study%20MAP%20CFUs%20Thumbnail.avif