WASHINGTON — April 28, 2026 — Really Great Reading (RGR) today announced the launch of Orbit, a new curriculum designed to address a persistent and widely recognized challenge for all districts in literacy skill-building: the gap between accurate decoding and full comprehension.

“Too many students reach upper elementary able to decode—but not able to fully understand what they read,” said Karl Rectanus, CEO of Really Great Reading. “The Science of Reading is often reduced to phonics, but results don’t improve unless students can truly make meaning from text. Orbit closes that gap—helping students turn word knowledge into real literacy outcomes.”

While many students learn to read words accurately in the early grades, far fewer develop the ability to understand complex text. National data shows that many are not reading proficiently by fourth grade and struggle to read to learn in middle and high school—revealing a gap between word reading and meaning-making.

Orbit helps teachers and students close the gap.

“I’ve seen growth not only in my students, but in myself as well — gaining confidence with the program, tools, and teacher-led instruction,” said Jona Jones a teacher at Post Elementary School in Texas. “Because of this, I truly believe we’ll make meaningful progress in closing gaps as students prepare for the next year.”

Designed for Real Classrooms — Built to Scale

Orbit is built to work within the realities of classroom instruction while supporting consistency across classrooms and schools:

• Integrates into existing literacy blocks
• Uses consistent, repeatable routines
• Supports both Tier 1 core instruction and Tier 2 intervention
• Reinforced through lessons, digital tools, and professional learning

This design helps districts strengthen alignment and reduce variability in literacy instruction.

A Critical Step in a Connected Literacy System

Orbit extends RGR’s broader approach to literacy: building a connected system that supports consistent instruction and measurable outcomes. From foundational decoding to advanced word knowledge, RGR’s solutions are designed to work together to help districts move from fragmented programs to a more coherent approach. Orbit brings that system into the grades and skills where students are most likely to fall behind, addressing the language demands of complex text.

Learn more about Orbit

Discover how Orbit helps students move from decoding to comprehension—and unlock success with complex text.

Read the full press release.