SpellRead
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can help address educational disparities. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program basics
- Literacy program for struggling readers two or more years below grade level
- Draws upon auditory and visual aspects of literacy through specially designed curriculum
- Takes 5–9 months to complete, consisting of 140 lessons total
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Strong (second-highest tier)
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Strong (second-highest tier)
Ranked as having the second-highest level of evidence by the U.S. Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse
Target population
Elementary school-aged children
Program cost
Not available
Implementation locations
- Florida
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Pennsylvania
Dates active
Not available
Outcomes and impact
- Positive effects on alphabetics
- Potentially positive effects on fluency and comprehension
- Improved alphabetics by an average of 18 percentile points
- Improved fluency by an average of 9 percentile points
- Improved comprehension by an average of 20 percentile points
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- Schedule enough time to cover the entire SpellRead program. Sessions should be scheduled on a regular and frequent basis
- Adhere to the program as designed, including limiting groups to five students sorted by reading ability
- Record student assessment data to monitor progress and guide lesson plans
- Provide teachers with sufficient training and support to build expertise in the SpellRead method
