Spotlight Pennsylvania: One aligned Tier 1 literacy solution
District snapshot:
- 85% Latino
- 11% Black
- 5% White
- 28 % SpEd
- 31% EL
- 10% dual ID as both EL and SpEd
- Primarily Spanish speaking families
- 94% eligible for free or reduced lunch
The Reading School District has the strongest sense of community I’ve ever been privileged to work with.
Judie Caroleo
Products used:
95 Tier 1 Solution: 95 Phonics Core Program® and Sortegories™ by 95 Percent Group
Educators across Reading School District faced a stubborn reality: despite years of effort, too many students were still below grade level in reading by the end of third grade. Earlier intervention programs weren’t concrete enough in foundational skills. There were no clear starting or ending data points, and the phonics component simply wasn’t strong enough.
Fast forward to the first few days of the 2025-26 school year and there is a completely different energy surrounding literacy. Early elementary students are writing multiple sentences on day 1 without asking for any teacher assistance. 1st graders are using academic language to explain spelling patterns.
Access the full story now: What you’ll learn
- How a districtwide shift to structured phonics instruction turned early uncertainty into measurable literacy gains
- Why strong coaching and implementation made K–2 Core and K–6 interventions stick
- How consistent routines and shared language built confidence for ELs, students with dyslexia, and those in special education
