Wisdom from the field: Lessons learned through school partnership

For two decades, we’ve had the extraordinary privilege of learning from some of the most dedicated educators in the country. From districts uncovering hidden literacy gaps to schools advocating for science of reading training and aligned phonics instruction and intervention, our school partners have been the true pioneers of the science of reading movement. Their courage to question existing practices, learn and embrace evidence-based instructional tools, and maintain relentless commitment to student success has reshaped not only their own communities but the entire field of literacy education.

The 20 lessons that follow aren’t just insights—they’re hard-won bits of wisdom from the field, earned through the daily work of educators who refuse to accept anything less than best practices. These are their stories, their discoveries, and their gifts to the broader education community.

What you’ll learn:

• Real district transformations: 20 evidence-based lessons from schools that successfully implemented science of reading practices and achieved measurable literacy gains.
• Implementation strategies that work: Proven approaches for professional learning, coaching, and building teacher confidence that drive sustainable student growth.
• Aligned systems for success: How districts created seamless connections between assessment, instruction, and intervention to support all learners.

From theory to practice

As the science of reading has continued to validate what we’ve always believed—that systematic, explicit literacy instruction works—we remain more devoted than ever to our founding vision. Now we are ready to share the 20 most important lessons we’ve learned while working closely with the  incredible schools and districts we are honored to partner with in this valuable work.

20 science of reading lessons learned + the the real stories behind them

1. A deep study of the data ensures gaps are identified. Sometimes, literacy gaps are hidden within otherwise high-performing student populations

When Montana’s Bozeman Public Schools‘ traditional strategies failed to address hidden literacy gaps, they turned to a professional learning plan that’s grounded in the science of reading. The district implemented Top 10 Tools by 95 Percent Group™ as required training for all K-5 teachers, providing asynchronous, cost-effective learning in manageable segments. This targeted professional learning became a catalyst for change, transforming how teachers identified and addressed foundational skill deficiencies in their high-performing district.

2. Professional learning unifies practice. Strategic training initiatives help faculty develop consistent instructional approaches and shared terminology.

Facing low performance metrics, Dalton Elementary  prioritized strategic professional learning to unify instructional practices. Principal Jessica Abel-Pype aligned instruction to the 95 Phonics Core Program® Skill Continuum and ensured teachers met Colorado’s science of reading training requirements. The school invested ESSER funds in ongoing professional learning services to maximize the effectiveness of its existing intervention materials.

3. Instructional gaps can (and should) be identified and addressed. Identifying and addressing instructional inconsistencies is essential to improving student literacy outcomes and attitudes.

Despite years of expanding their intervention resources, Edmonds School District wasn’t seeing student gains. Once they enlisted 95 Percent Group’s literacy experts to help identify their instructional gaps, teachers and interventionists began collaborating through professional learning to advocate for an aligned literacy curriculum that addressed both core instruction and intervention systems. With coaching support, educators learned to teach phonics explicitly, sequentially, and systematically—resulting in improvement in both student attitudes and outcomes, and a shift from resistance to enthusiasm for phonics lessons.

4. Well-designed, research-aligned practices are good for all students. Educators prioritized meeting varied student needs through instructional approaches tailored to advance outcomes for all learners.

Georgia’s Fulton County Schools moved away from school-based curriculum choice, which has created a “hodgepodge of balanced literacy programs.” They implemented district-wide professional learning focused on the science of reading, and overhauled their training programs to ensure all educators learned a research-aligned approach to literacy instruction that would benefit students from all backgrounds. This unified professional development approach resulted in dramatic gains, with 2nd-grade proficiency rates jumping from 63 percent to 92 percent after just five months of explicit, district-wide phonics instruction.

5. Evidence can advance district expansion. To make bold decisions about district-wide program adoption, follow the evidence.

Arizona’s Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) addressed Tier 1 literacy gaps by implementing district-wide science of reading training while piloting 95 Phonics Core Program in two schools. After seeing strong results in kindergarten and 1st grade decoding, spelling, and syllable knowledge, school leaders used this evidence to expand the program across all 10 elementary schools. The successful pilot data made it easy to convince administrators that a structured literacy approach, based on the science of reading, should be implemented district-wide in all K-3 classrooms.

6. Evidence informs implementation. By studying successful intervention practices in similar schools, districts can establish clear expectations before launching their own initiative.

Facing a literacy skill gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students that was eight times the national average, the literacy team at Wicomico County Public Schools took one of the best steps educators can take—learning from one another. They decided to visit a neighboring district that was using 95 Percent Group’s products in order to see strong intervention in action. This peer-to-peer learning experience, combined with professional development on the science of reading, informed their decision to pilot the products and participate in a two-year efficacy study. The evidence-based approach to professional learning resulted in more than doubling the percentage of students meeting benchmark from fall to spring in year two.

7. Persistence yields transformation. When educators stay the course with implementation, teacher confidence and student achievement results prove undeniable.

Teachers at Tennessee’s Franklin Special School District persevered through the challenging work of implementing more explicit, structured phonics instruction—building confidence over three years of district-wide implementation. Professional learning communities (PLCs) developed a common language around literacy instruction through assessments and essential standards work, which helped to both deepen understanding and boost teacher confidence. This sustained professional development approach demonstrated that when educators stay the course with implementation, both teacher confidence and student outcomes become undeniable evidence of transformation.

8. Early gaps drive later struggles. Reading challenges in grades 3-5 often originate from foundational skill deficits in K-2.

After analyzing literacy data, North Carolina’s Edgecombe County Public School‘s district leaders recognized that teachers needed professional learning to address foundational skill gaps impacting students in grades 3-5. The district invested in structured literacy resources to help educators understand how K-2 instruction directly connects to upper elementary success. This targeted professional learning approach yielded dramatic results, with one kindergarten cohort improving from 18 percent subtest proficiency at the Middle of the Year (MOY) assessment to 45 percent proficiency in 1st grade within six months.

9. A comprehensive approach yields strong results. When educators identify widespread foundational skills gaps, an aligned ecosystem of literacy instruction helps close gaps.

When the universal screening at Illinois’ Parson’s Elementary revealed that every student with reading difficulty was missing foundational skills across phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary, educators learned they needed a comprehensive approach rather than just intervention. Professional learning helped teachers understand that widespread foundational skill deficits required moving from targeted intervention to full Tier 1 core phonics implementation. This shift in understanding, through data analysis and professional development, resulted in measurable growth, with significantly more students reading on grade level—ultimately changing the school’s overall dynamics.

10. Community commitment accelerates comprehensive growth. District-wide adoption leads to measurable improvements in student performance metrics.

In response to Texas House Bill 3’s mandate for systematic phonics instruction, Southside Independent School District collaborated with literacy experts who recommended comprehensive professional learning alongside implementation of 95 Phonics Core Program. Three years of district-wide professional development resulted in teachers and students developing shared academic vocabulary—with students able to articulate specific skills, such as grapheme-phoneme relationships. This community-wide commitment to professional learning accelerated comprehensive growth, demonstrating how coordinated training efforts lead to measurable improvements in both teacher knowledge and student performance.

11. Turnkey resources free up teachers’ instructional energy. Consistent materials with clear instructional dialogue allow educators to focus on teaching, rather than creating content from scratch.

After receiving training in the science of reading, educators at Ohio’s Fairless Elementary School recognized they needed structured literacy resources and professional development to support consistent Tier 1 core instruction across all classrooms. The district’s professional learning approach focused on helping teachers understand how to teach foundational skills like phonemic awareness and phonics through turn-key materials with explicit instructional dialogue. This comprehensive training allowed educators to focus on teaching rather than content creation, leading to successful pilot results and full K-3 adoption of the program.

12. Targeted intervention in foundational skills unlocks student progress. Consistent daily practice of core skills is the master key that opens doors to grade-level achievement.

When Delaware’s Warner Elementary School, in the Red Clay School District, identified foundational literacy gaps in 4th and 5th graders, educators engaged in professional learning to understand how structured phonics instruction could benefit upper elementary students. Through coaching and training, teachers learned to implement 30 minutes of daily systematic instruction with integrity, overcoming initial skepticism about phonics’ effectiveness at higher grade levels. This targeted professional development approach enabled educators to see firsthand how consistent, structured literacy instruction drives meaningful progress, resulting in significantly more students reading on or above grade level.

13. Grassroots support signals lasting change. Strong advocacy from teachers and principals reflects deep confidence in a program’s impact and relevance beyond 3rd grade.

After witnessing the success of implementing 95 Phonics Core Program in grades K-3, Texas’s Boerne Independent School District teachers and principals became such strong advocates that they told administrators they would purchase the program themselves if the district wouldn’t extend it to grades 4-5. This grassroots demand for professional learning and program expansion demonstrated deep teacher confidence in systematic structured literacy instruction, even beyond Texas’s 3rd grade mandate. 95 Percent Group’s  literacy experts provided targeted coaching to help educators understand the unique needs of upper elementary students, creating seamless K-5 professional development that resulted in impressive reading gains across all grade levels.

14. Skepticism lessens with the right implementation support. Teachers can move from doubt to confidence with the support of training and coaching.

When Pennsylvania’s South Western School District faced a decade-long decline in foundational literacy skills, district leaders committed to comprehensive professional learning that would unify varied approaches across all schools and grade levels K-5. Despite initial skepticism from 4th and 5th grade ELA teachers about phonics instruction in upper elementary years, targeted professional development and coaching support helped educators understand the benefits of structured literacy at all levels. This systematic approach to professional learning transformed teacher attitudes from doubt to confidence, demonstrating how the right implementation support can overcome resistance and drive transformative results.

15. Early instruction reduces special education referrals. Explicit phonics instruction helps students progress—preventing misidentification and improving outcomes.

When elementary teachers at Joplin Schools in Missouri began science of reading training, they recognized the need for consistent phonics instruction across all 10 elementary campuses serving their diverse population of 7,800 students. This teacher-led professional learning initiative transformed inconsistent literacy practices into what they now call “a well-oiled intervention and instruction system” through systematic training and implementation. The comprehensive professional development approach resulted in fewer students being misidentified for special education, as a structured literacy approach provided through trained educators helped students progress and improved outcomes across the district.

16. System alignment streamlines intervention. By aligning assessments, instruction, and progress monitoring, digital systems help us see the whole child.

District leaders at Rhode Island’s West Warwick Public Schools identified intervention delays  caused by inefficient data systems that teachers largely created on their own. Once they understood this, they invested in professional learning to help educators understand how phonics diagnostic tools could streamline assessment, instruction, and progress monitoring. Jim Monti and his team trained educators to leverage 95 Literacy Intervention System, an end-to-end digital solution for implementing targeted support sooner and enhancing instructional precision through an all-in-one assessment-to-instruction tool with new digital features. This systematic approach increased literacy benchmarks from 45% to 55% in one year while removing data-tracking burdens from teachers and creating a more effective, equitable literacy support system.

17. Collaboration fuels transformation. Shared instructional language and an all-hands-on-deck mindset can reshape reading instruction from the ground up.

After successfully implementing Tier 2 intervention, a district leader at California’s Fairfax School District used systematic professional learning to identify the need for stronger Tier 1 core instruction. The district invested in training staff on consistent instructional language and an aligned core phonics curriculum to create seamless connections between intervention and core instruction. This collaborative professional development approach, combined with an “our kids” mindset and dedicated reading lab training, transformed their school’s reading instruction model from the ground up across all four campuses.

18. Student confidence grows with progress. Systematic, targeted teacher-led instruction helps struggling readers gain skills and belief in themselves.

Educators at Franklin County’s Louisburg and Youngsville Elementary Schools in North Carolina received professional learning on implementing 95 RAP™ (Reading Achievement Program) as a teacher-led, digital Tier 3 intervention solution to address literacy challenges among 3rd and 4th graders. Through systematic training on personalized instruction methods, teachers learned to deliver targeted support that builds both reading skills and student confidence in struggling readers. This focused professional development approach resulted in remarkable outcomes—with up to 80% of students showing improved reading scores or hitting benchmarks on end-of-year assessments, while gaining belief in themselves as readers.

19. Assessment and instruction work in sync. Using a screener that maps directly to targeted lessons makes for precise, effective intervention.

When Utah mandated new approaches for low reading scores, Ogden City School District invested in professional learning that taught teachers how to seamlessly integrate assessment and instruction using 95 Phonics Screener for Intervention™—which is connected to 95 Phonics Lesson Library™. Through strategic coaching and training on assessment-driven instruction, educators learned to put science of reading theory into practice by precisely targeting student needs with explicit, evidence-based lessons. This systematic professional development approach increased teacher self-efficacy, with educators finally feeling confident they were successfully delivering all necessary foundational reading skills to their diverse student population across 13 elementary schools.

20. Confidence replaces confusion. With routines that build ownership and excitement, students become more eager to engage in intervention.

Reading interventionist Kimberly Rosenow of Oklahoma’s Moss Elementary School changed everything for her students when she implemented 95 RAP to provide truly personalized reading intervention for challenged K-3 student readers in rural southeast Oklahoma. Through professional development on systematic routines and targeted instruction, she developed consistent practices that eliminated student confusion and built ownership—transforming intervention from a struggle to an exciting opportunity. This focused training approach resulted in remarkable outcomes, with the majority of first graders reaching within 1-2 points of benchmark and students who once had a lot of difficulty, now eagerly anticipating their intervention time.

Literacy instruction that’s accessible + sustainable

From the beginning, our mission has been unwavering—to make a meaningful impact on education and the lives of children—even as we’ve continuously adapted our approach to serve educators. Our journey has evolved from a focus on professional learning and coaching to developing evidence-aligned instructional resources, and ultimately expanding to provide a total literacy ecosystem including comprehensive science-of-reading training,  full implementation support, and wrap-around coaching for educators. This growth continues to uphold that mission, allowing for an even greater impact on teachers and students.

For two decades, we’ve been guided by the same core values of evidence-based excellence, efficacy, trust, collaboration, and opportunity that drove our founders to bridge the gap between reading research and classroom practice for maximum accessibility for teachers. Despite the shifting landscape of educational philosophies, our commitment remains the same: ensuring all children receive the literacy instruction they deserve and need to thrive in school and beyond.

These 20 lessons, woven through the real stories of our incredible school partners, reveal the profound impact of science of reading-based literacy instruction. Every success story represents students who can now read with confidence, teachers who feel empowered with effective tools, and communities transformed by explicit literacy instruction. This collection stands as proof of how far we’ve come—and a beacon for where we’re headed next.

Learn more

Ready to dive fully into all 20 lessons and stories? Access your exclusive eBook download below.