Students learn or progress at their own paces. How can schools make sure that they get the help they need--and only the help they need? Many are turning to multi-tiered systems of support. This brief provides some practical considerations for schools contemplating tiered approaches.

Success for All (SFA), one of the best-known school reform models, aims to improve the reading skills of all children but is especially directed at schools that serve large numbers of students from low-income families. First implemented in 1987, SFA combines a challenging reading program, whole-school reform elements, and an emphasis on continuous…

Success for All (SFA), one of the best-known school reform models, aims to improve the reading skills of all children but is especially directed at schools that serve large numbers of students from low-income families. First implemented in 1987, SFA combines a challenging reading program, whole-school reform elements, and an emphasis on continuous…

Title I legislation was enacted in 1965 under the Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged Act. The goal of Title I was to support disadvantaged students in achieving academic excellence and to close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and students from high socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite billions of dollars, and…

First implemented in 1987, Success for All (SFA) is one of the best-known and most thoroughly evaluated school reform models. It combines three basic elements: (1) Reading instruction that emphasizes phonics for beginning readers and comprehension for students at all levels, and that is characterized by a highly structured curriculum, an emphasis…

Little is known about the impact of staff development programs on student reading comprehension performance. This study examined the impact of staff supported through "Reading Next"'s Project C.R.I.S.S. on middle and high school student remedial reading performance in one Southwestern U.S. school district from 2005 to 2010. This…

Improving educational outcomes involves many variables, including identifying effective interventions and ensuring that they are effectively implemented in schools. Within a "response to intervention" model, treatment integrity of academic interventions has become increasingly important. However, recent research has suggested that…

School systems looking for successful types of in-service reading programs can offer the following types of programs which have fared well in the New Haven schools: Reading Share-In; Reading Exposition; Mini-Reading Courses; and Make It and Take It Workshops. (Author/CB)

Staff development programs aiming to effect meaningful change are often short-lived and fail to promote teacher growth due to (1) lack of teacher control over program content; (2) the difficulty of influencing long-term changes in teachers' classroom behavior; and (3) the problem of documenting behavior change. This paper discusses a…

This planning model outlines eight steps that enable local education agencies to formulate a program for staff development. The program is designed to modify organizational, managerial, and instructional practices that inhibit reading success among both children and adults. The eight action steps are: (1) assess district-wide reading needs; (2)…

Describes the development of a school-based reading policy in an elementary school, including staff development, development of policy, general aims, and selection of reading materials. (FL)

Schools need staff-development programs focused on teaching children to read. Students must read effectively by the end of third grade. The Success for All curriculum is effective, is transportable, focuses on basic literacy, uses formative assessment, and provides continuous, onsite assistance and support to schools. (MLH)