
Research Alignment & Successes
Really Great Reading is ESSA II Certified
A third-party research group examined whether students who used Really Great Reading Instruction improved literacy outcomes for elementary school students in an urban school district during the 2022/2023 school year.
Key Findings
First through third grade students who used Really Great Reading had significantly higher mid-year reading scores than students who did not use Really Great Reading programs.
Coming soon - we will be attaching the full report as soon as it is published.
Are you considering Really Great Reading’s approach?
Don't make a choice without looking at our offerings. For 17 years we have been developing and offering scientifically aligned foundational reading instruction. An overwhelming number of teachers contact us regularly to share their successes. They know it works. However, for your verification, our ESSA Level II and the case studies on this page prove that Really Great Reading’s Countdown, Blast Foundations, HD Word, and Phonics Boost are highly effective at improving the foundational reading skills of both young emerging readers and older struggling readers.
- In K-4, teachers have found excellent success using Countdown, Blast Foundations, and HD Word to build firm foundations in early reading skills with their emerging and beginning readers.
- In grades three and up, using HD Word, Phonics Boost, and Infercabulary teachers of older students have had incredible success effectively improving the basic reading skills of their struggling readers.
It's a fact: When students' foundational reading skills are firmly in place they benefit from better word-level reading, improved reading accuracy, and an increased reading rate, confidence, and ultimately reading comprehension. For students of all ages, strong foundations result in an ability to tackle complex content area reading, and success on standardized tests. Watch a quick video↠

How Does Really Great Reading Align With the Science of Reading and Foundational Skills?
For 17 years we have been developing and offering scientifically aligned foundational reading instruction and professional development. We pride ourselves on the depth and breadth of our offerings. We are an organization of educators who create for educators with the explicit goal of exceptional student outcomes.
Click here to download our Foundational Skills by Grade & Science of Reading Alignment PDF>>
For Texas download our Foundational Skills by Grade & TEKS Aligned PDF>>
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - The Nations Report Card on Reading
In 2019, only 33% of fourth-graders are at or above NAEP Proficient level on the reading assessment. Read the full Nations Report Card on Reading>>
The following data summaries show that after using Really Great Reading’s Phonics Suite programs (Countdown, Blast Foundations, HD Word, Phonics Boost and Phonics Blitz), students from schools in a wide variety of settings across the country have made substantial gains in their reading skills.
Third-Party Research
- Pawhuska, OK - Grades 3-6 – using HD Word
- Lee County, FL – K-5 using Countdown, Blast and HD Word
- Santaquin, UT – 1st Grade using Blast
- Fountain-Fort Carson, CO - Grades K- 4 Countdown, Blast and HD Word
- Nebo, UT - Grades K- 3 Countdown, Blast and HD Word
Really Great Reading’s Data
- Fairfield, IA – 2nd and 4th Grade Students using Blast and HD Word
- Raton, NM – 2nd Grade Students using Blast
- Washington Area School, 4th- 5th Grade using Boost
- Charlottesville City School, 9th–11th Grade using Blitz and Boost
- Louisiana Rural School System, 8th Grade using Blitz and Boost
- New Orleans High School, 9th –11th Grade using Blitz and Boost
White Papers