NYC Reads with Really Great Reading
NYC Reads dictates the framework. Really Great Reading helps you execute it.
As an approved foundational curriculum for NYC schools, we don’t replace your core program—we make it more effective. We provide the explicit, daily literacy instruction required to close reading gaps and drive proficiency for all learners, across your K-12 classrooms. RGR supports both foundational instruction and targeted intervention within NYC schools, while strengthening teacher capacity through ongoing and in-the-moment professional learning.
NYC schools are working to implement high-quality instructional materials while supporting diverse student populations and meeting ambitious literacy goals. Really Great Reading helps schools strengthen literacy instruction, enhance educators’ capacity, and raise reading scores.
Structured literacy instruction designed to match NYC Reads’ rigor and support stronger foundational reading outcomes, and approved by NYCPS.
Practical professional learning, coaching, and instructional routines that help educators confidently apply Science of Reading practices every day.
Explicit instruction and consistent routines that support multilingual learners while aligning with language-affirming instructional practices.
For upper elementary and adolescent students, reading struggles may persist even after foundational decoding is in place. Orbit helps bridge the gap between word reading and understanding by building the vocabulary, word analysis, and comprehension skills needed to make meaning from grade-level text. See how students move from reading words to stronger comprehension with 4 weeks of access to Orbit.
NYC has invested heavily in curriculum, professional learning, and literacy reform through NYC Reads. Yet many schools continue to face the same challenge: ensuring that instructional expectations translate into consistent classroom practice and reading proficiency. The challenge is no longer awareness of Science of Reading principles alone but helping every classroom teacher apply them effectively.
Many students continue to experience decoding and fluency gaps that exhaust cognitive capacity, creating comprehension and meaning-making deficits that make it difficult to fully access grade-level curriculum and complex text.
Educators need consistent instructional routines, ongoing, job-embedded support—including coaching and real-time instructional guidance—to ensure consistent implementation of structured literacy practices.
Principals and instructional leaders require low-friction solutions that prove immediate student progress, fitting neatly alongside established classroom routines and district accountability priorities.
Across NYC, educators have received training, adopted new curricula, and embraced the goals of NYC Reads. But implementation remains the difference between intention and results.
Really Great Reading helps schools bridge the gap between literacy initiatives and student outcomes through explicit instruction, practical routines, and implementation support that teachers can use immediately.
Really Great Reading provides flexible pathways that support both foundational skills instruction and targeted literacy intervention, while also building educator capacity and expertise through professional learning and coaching.
By strengthening essential foundational skills, Really Great Reading makes your core instruction work better. Explicit routines in phonics, decoding, encoding, and fluency, paired with progress monitoring, ensure students can successfully engage with their mandated NYC Reads programs.
Best for:
- Strengthening Tier 1 instruction
- Supporting consistent NYC Reads implementation
- Improving decoding and fluency outcomes
For students who need additional support, RGR provides skill-based intervention focused on closing gaps quickly, from foundational decoding to comprehension. Every RGR pathway includes PD to support successful implementation and sustained instructional growth.
Best for:
- Students with persistent reading gaps
- Small-group or push-in intervention from K-12
- Schools seeking flexible, skills-based intervention options
Successful literacy outcomes depend on strong instructional execution. RGR provides job-embedded professional learning, coaching, and structured routines that help educators confidently implement Science of Reading practices in daily instruction.
Best for:
- Schools implementing NYC Reads
- Districts focusing on instructional consistency
- Teachers transitioning to structured literacy practices
NYC is serving multilingual learners at a significant scale, but current state training and curriculum guidance have not fully addressed the instructional needs and scale of the multilingual learner population. RGR's structured literacy programs provide the explicit phonics, decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension instruction that MLL students need to access grade-level text, and designed to complement ENL programming and existing instructional supports across NYC schools.
A Pennsylvania district that mirrors what many NY districts are working toward: moving beyond reactive intervention by aligning consistent, structured literacy instruction across all Tier 1 classrooms. The results show up in early literacy benchmark data and a reduced reliance on intervention.
The challenge: Inconsistent literacy practices failed to build foundational skills across K–2, causing students to struggle by 2nd grade despite appearing to progress in earlier years.
The approach: The district embedded RGR's structured literacy routines into daily Tier 1 instruction, supported by targeted PD.
The result: Kindergarten literacy proficiency increased by 28%, and first-grade benchmark scores grew by 24%.
RGR's literacy approach is grounded in the Science of Reading and validated through independent third-party research, with all-green EdReports ratings and ESSA evidence alignment. In NYC, RGR has been approved by NYCPS as a high-quality foundational skills curriculum, supporting schools as they implement NYC Reads and strengthen literacy outcomes for all students.
If you'd like to explore how Really Great Reading can support your school's NYC Reads implementation, we'd be glad to connect.
"We realized we couldn’t intervene our way out of the problem. We needed to fix Tier 1.
Our data has definitely grown. In kindergarten, we’re over 80% at benchmark. First grade isn’t there yet district-wide, but we have pockets at 90%."
Strengthen literacy outcomes while supporting existing curriculum investments and instructional priorities.
Equip teachers with practical routines, implementation support, and Science of Reading-aligned instructional tools.
Provide explicit, structured literacy instruction that supports diverse learners while fitting into existing school structures.
John Henyecz
John works directly with NYC schools to support literacy implementation, teacher training, and foundational skills instruction aligned to NYC Reads. Whether you're exploring a single-school implementation or looking to strengthen literacy outcomes across grade levels, John can help identify the right starting point for your school.
How one district increased fifth-grade decoding proficiency from 30% to 85% while helping 84% of students demonstrate measurable academic growth.
An overview of RGR's Tier 2 and Tier 3 elementary intervention pathways for New York district, BOCES, and city school leaders.
An overview of our structured PD offerings for New York educators, designed to strengthen Science of Reading instruction, support implementation fidelity, and build long-term instructional capacity across classrooms and schools.
How does Really Great Reading support NYC Reads?
Really Great Reading supports NYC Reads by strengthening the foundational literacy skills students need to become successful readers. As a high-quality foundational skills curriculum approved by NYCPS, RGR helps schools build decoding, encoding, phonemic awareness, and fluency while complementing the core instructional materials used in NYC Reads. Through explicit instruction, practical classroom routines, and professional learning, RGR helps schools turn literacy priorities into measurable student outcomes.
How does RGR work alongside approved core programs?
Really Great Reading is designed to complement—not replace—your core curriculum. While your core program provides literacy instruction and knowledge-building experiences, RGR strengthens the foundational reading skills that enable students to access increasingly complex text. Schools use RGR to provide explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, and fluency, helping students get more from their core literacy program.
Can NYC schools purchase RGR through FAMIS and ShopDOE?
Yes. NYC schools can purchase Really Great Reading through established NYC purchasing pathways, including FAMIS and ShopDOE. Depending on the materials selected, schools may also use instructional budgets, Title I funds, and professional learning funds. Our team can help schools navigate purchasing options and identify the most appropriate pathway for their needs.
How does RGR support multilingual learners?
RGR's structured literacy approach provides multilingual learners with the explicit instruction many need to develop strong reading foundations in English. Clear routines, systematic skill progression, and consistent instructional language help students build phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and fluency while supporting access to grade-level content. RGR is designed to work alongside ENL services and language-affirming instructional practices already in place across NYC schools.
What professional learning and coaching options are available for NYC educators?
Really Great Reading offers a range of professional learning options to support successful implementation, including onsite and virtual training, coaching, implementation planning, and ongoing educator support. Professional learning is designed to help teachers confidently apply Science of Reading principles, strengthen instructional practice, and maintain implementation fidelity over time. Whether your school is just getting started or looking to deepen existing literacy work, our team can help build a support plan that meets your goals.