Pediatricians Aim to Boost Childhood Literacy Rates in Columbus

Nationwide Children's Hospital starts screening kids as young as 3 to identify reading struggles early on.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, has started checking literacy skills during pediatric visits for kids as young as 3. The hospital says it wants to spot reading struggles early and guide parents on how to help their kids improve reading at home. The program has conducted over 2,400 screenings since launching in 2022, focusing on high-needs populations that are uninsured or on Medicaid.

Why it matters

Nationwide's initiative aims to address lagging childhood literacy rates across the country. Nationally, just over 30% of fourth graders are considered proficient in reading, and reading proficiency has dipped 4 percentage points since 2019 due to pandemic learning losses. Kids who enter kindergarten with lower reading ability often struggle to catch up in later grades.

The details

The pediatric hospital chose clinics to provide the literacy screenings largely based on their proximity to schools with lower performance scores on kindergarten readiness assessments. Across Columbus City Schools, more than 63% of kindergarteners were behind on language and literacy skills during the 2024-2025 school year. The screenings use a tool that assesses kids as they read through a book during primary care visits, either in English or Spanish. After a child completes a screening, the coordinator creates a personalized literacy plan and provides families with literacy kits containing tools and activities for at-home practice.

  • The program launched in 2022 and has since conducted more than 2,400 screenings.
  • During the 2024-2025 school year, more than 63% of kindergarteners in Columbus City Schools were behind on language and literacy skills.

The players

Nationwide Children's Hospital

A pediatric hospital in Columbus, Ohio, that has started screening children's literacy skills starting at age 3 during pediatrician visits.

Sara Bode

The medical director of school-based health at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Carneshia Edwards

The leader of the hospital's kindergarten readiness team.

Juri Sleet

A 4-year-old child who completed a literacy screening at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Quintina Davis

The grandmother of Juri Sleet.

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What they’re saying

“They are all doing developmental screenings, they're all talking to parents repeatedly. So this is an opportunity.”

— Sara Bode, Medical Director of School-Based Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital (kob.com)

“When we're doing the screenings, families are kind of concerned that their kids don't know certain things and it's not necessarily about that piece of it. It's just more so exposing them more than anything.”

— Carneshia Edwards, Leader of Kindergarten Readiness Team, Nationwide Children's Hospital (kob.com)

“She didn't know as much, but our coordinator was very patient with her.”

— Quintina Davis, Grandmother of Juri Sleet (kob.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This initiative by Nationwide Children's Hospital highlights the potential for pediatricians to play a crucial role in addressing the nationwide challenge of improving childhood literacy rates, especially among high-needs populations. By identifying reading struggles early and equipping families with the right tools and resources, the program aims to set children up for success in kindergarten and beyond.