One of the most significant reasons children struggle with primary literacy skills is due to poor phonemic knowledge and understanding. This study was designed to identify foundational strategies necessary, needed, and used to help decrease struggles in reading performance and academic growth while addressing long term guidance for higher reading improvement through essential achievement. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of phonics and phonemic awareness on elementary student reading as it relates to the support of students being able to read while increasing reading performance. This qualitative study examined two approaches (phonics and phonemic awareness) that help increase student reading skills in elementary education by gathering the perspectives of educators and administrators as to whether or not both skills are beneficial to students and their reading growth and reading performance. This research was conducted at a school located in the southern region of the United States. The effective sampling size for qualitative research of this study included 10 participants via telephone interviews. This study found that reading instruction in phonics and phonemic awareness is foundational to students' reading performance and decreases struggling readers. More significantly, the implementation of phonics reading strategies is effective when used in connecting sounds to letters and words through written expression, whereas the implementation of phonemic awareness reading strategies is effective when there is an emphasis on hearing and manipulating sounds. This study also found that advanced reading skills are dependent upon strong phonics and phonemic awareness instruction necessary to identify reading deficits. All participants agreed that teacher training, preparation, and certification programs in phonics and phonemic awareness are essential and impact student growth. Furthermore, participants explained why both traditional and non-traditional teachers need training and supported training programs directly related to reading instruction that will increase reading. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]