Findings of the study indicate that students in juvenile correctional facilities have below-average reading achievement compared with the general school population. Significant differences in achievement by ethnicity were found, with culturally and linguistically diverse youths scoring below average. The study provides evidence that students with disabilities are over-represented in these facilities, with special need students scoring below those without disabilities. Data were collected from 455 youth in 3 long-term juvenile correctional facilities in 3 separate geographical regions of the United States. Standardized reading measures were administered to assess current reading levels. Results were analyzed by age, ethnicity, and special education status. Analysis of this data with ethnic variables revealed significant difference between African-American, Hispanic, and European American youths in the areas of Letter-Word identification, Word Attack, and Passage Comprehension. Tables and references