EPS Learning, a leader in effective reading intervention solutions, today announced that its Reading Accelerator program has shown statistically significant improvements in student oral reading fluency, which has been validated by Tier 3 ESSA research. Recent research, led by Dr. Matthew Jeans, met Tier 3 standards established by ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act). Dr. Jeans’s research was conducted during the 2024–25 school year in two middle schools in an urban school district in New Jersey. The study examined literacy outcomes for students in grades 7–8 who scored below the 10th percentile on standardized oral reading fluency assessments—a critical skill linked to overall reading proficiency.
The study’s findings were striking. In high-fidelity implementation classrooms, where students completed 21–22 lessons of Reading Accelerator over 12 weeks, students demonstrated average growth of more than 17 words correct per minute (WCPM) in oral reading fluency. This growth significantly exceeds expected annual growth rates for all percentile ranks. Notably, middle school students who are below the 10th percentile in oral reading fluency typically gain only two WCPM in fluency throughout an entire school year.
“We’re thrilled to have a new research study that meets ESSA 3 research standards further validating Reading Accelerator’s proven effectiveness in accelerating literacy outcomes for striving readers,” said Dr. Janine Walker-Caffrey, Chief Academic Officer of EPS Learning. “This research validates what we’ve seen in classrooms across the country: Reading Accelerator delivers measurable, meaningful growth that sets students on a path toward reading proficiency. The fact that students achieved in 12 weeks what typically takes a full year—or more—is a testament to the power of Structured Literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading. We’re especially encouraged that students achieved this growth in large classroom settings, including up to 28 students. This makes Reading Accelerator a truly scalable solution for districts with limited resources for intervention.”
EPS Reading Accelerator is an evidence-based Structured Literacy intervention designed for striving readers in grades 3–8. Grounded in the science of reading, the program helps students master foundational literacy skills through consistent five-step lessons that can be completed in just 20 minutes a day. The program addresses all five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—and can be delivered in both whole-class and small-group settings.
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