Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate longitudinal changes in reading and math performance among children born prematurely. STUDY DESIGN: We evaluated data from across an 8-year period for 768 participants in the Western Reserve Reading and Math Project (WRRMP). We assessed their performance on Woodcock-Johnson math and reading subtests as a function of gestational age and parental education. RESULTS: On the reading comprehension, word identification, and applied math subtests, gestational age was associated with performance decrements, while parental education was linked to improved performance. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm birth continues to predict lower standardized test scores for reading and math across the time period of this longitudinal dataset; higher levels of parent education partially offset these effects.