Learning to read is of primary focus in the early grades. Reading can be a challenge for many students, especially those with disabilities. With rising class sizes, and more students with disabilities included in the general education setting, the need for more individualized support in literacy instruction is vital. Innovative approaches are…

Concern about the state of literacy instruction in America's classrooms has recently exploded. As a result, policymakers, school system leaders, and teachers have increasingly sought to remake how children learn to read in order to improve literacy outcomes--a pursuit that has gained heightened urgency in the aftermath of the pandemic. This work,…

Using data from a 2-year empirical project in an urban school within the United States, this article describes how educators of preschool, transitional-kindergarten and kindergarten (PreK-TK-K) altered perceptions and practices as a result of participating in a purposefully crafted professional learning community using collaborative enquiry.…

Future Forward is an early primary literacy program that pairs one-on-one tutoring with family engagement. Future Forward's approach is informed by both systems theory and a school-family-community partnership model. Future Forward understands that schools are not solely responsible for developing student literacy. Instead of viewing families and…

The Early Interactive Software Program (EISP) was designed to increase the literacy skills of all students in K-3 through adaptive computer-based literacy software. Eleven software vendors were selected by schools and qualified by the state to provide reading software programs through the EISP in 2023-2024. The vendors used during the school year…

Literacy coaches serve in a multitude of roles and play a critical role in bridging district and school priorities (Walpole and Blamey, 2008; Steckel, 2009). Currently, coaches and teachers are navigating a national policy shift to Science of Reading (SoR) aligned instruction, and educators want more than a new curriculum (Schwartz, 2022). This…

Purpose: This study examines the impact of the Amira Learning AI-powered reading platform on literacy outcomes for elementary students in 12 school districts in Louisiana during the 2023-24 school year. Methodology: Employing a quasi-experimental design aligned with the Every Student Succeeds Act Level II (Moderate Evidence) standard, a…

This evaluation aimed to examine MCPS' implementation of Structured Literacy in Grades K-2 during the 2022-2023 school year and its effect on students' foundational skills in reading. A non-experimental design was used to assess the implementation of the essential elements of Structured Literacy. A classroom observation tool developed in…

Interactive read-alouds are versatile in that teachers can teach an array of literacy skills through this instructional strategy. However, our observations of six primary grade teachers and prior research revealed that teachers' implementation of interactive read-alouds varies. Without the necessary planning and preparation for interactive…

A significant discrepancy exists between current research and teaching practices in reading instruction (Moats, 2020; Seidenberg, 2017). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate teacher perceptions of barriers and successes when implementing structured literacy practices. This study is significant because the data will support…

Because large-scale studies repeatedly indicated low reading literacy for many students, a need for interventions fostering reading literacy, such as extracurricular tutoring, has often been emphasized. Several reading promoting programs, suitable for extracurricular tutoring, were developed and shown to be effective in recent years. Moreover,…

A majority of fourth grade students in the United States aren't reading proficiently (NAEP Reading: Reading Results, 2022). Deeper analysis of these assessment data surfaced a large gap between how our education system is serving students of color and their white counterparts. These gaps represent gaps in opportunity as access to quality…

This sequential explanatory mixed methods study examines the impact of the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional learning intervention on teacher knowledge within the context of South Carolina's reading policy. Quantitative analyses of pre- and post-assessment data indicate significant improvements in…

Evidence-based core instruction partnered with evidence-based supplemental interventions are vital for students' literacy learning, particularly for students who need additional support (Petscher et al., 2020). Identifying instructional materials that reflect the translation of effective practices is challenging, (Solari et al., 2020) and made…

In this article, the author explores the Fountas & Pinnell Levelled Literacy Intervention efficacy as a tool to enhance both supplemental and whole-classroom instruction to support literacy gains for students. Exploring the efficacy of Levelled Literacy Intervention will also act as a vehicle to explore how school divisions can more…