Both as an 8th grader, and a 10th grader, Johnny may be on track for mastering the advanced reading skills he will need to succeed in college and the workplace. But by high school graduation, he and many other aspiring college students will likely be unprepared to tackle the complex reading and writing tasks they will encounter, a study set for release the week of March 1, 2006 concludes. While science and mathematics are claiming the spotlight in the latest push for improving high schools and sharpening the nation's competitive edge, a study by ACT Inc. makes the case for doing so through better reading instruction, clear and rigorous state standards for high school reading, and the use of more sophisticated texts and teaching materials. This article discusses the study, "Reading Between the Lines: What the ACT Reveals About College Readiness in Reading," which found that only 51 percent of test-takers who were planning on higher education met the ACT "college-readiness benchmark in reading." As 8th and 10th graders, however, nearly two-thirds of the students overall, and larger percentages in every subgroup were on course to be prepared for college. "In terms of readiness for college-level reading, students are actually losing momentum during high school," the report says.