
Stepping Stones to Literacy
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
- Supplemental curriculum designed for preschoolers and kindergarteners having trouble with reading
- Lesson plans consist of listening, using a range of of print materials, and developing phonological awareness
- Program consists of twenty-five daily lessons, 10–20 minutes in length
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Proven (highest tier)
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Proven (highest tier)
Ranked as having the highest level of evidence by the U.S. Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse
Target population
Preschool-aged children
Program cost
Approximately $240 per student per year
Implementation locations
- Not available
Dates active
Not available
Outcomes and impact
- Positive effect on alphabetics, listening, and phonological skills
- Improved alphabetics outcomes by an average of 30 percentile points
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- To determine which students should receive programming, assessments like the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills should be provided to potential participants.
- Instructors should follow lesson formats and instruct participating children every day without improvisation or skipped days. Lessons should be paced according to student ability.
- Instruction should occur in small groups, and instructors should provide children with encouragement and constructive feedback throughout lessons.
- Instructional support is available in Spanish to help address unique challenges to ESL learners