Missouri approves 95 Percent Group programs as recommended English Language Arts supplemental resources 

95 Percent Group’s literacy solutions recommended by a growing number of states as science of reading aligned instructional resources

Lincolnshire, Ill. – May 9, 2024 – Today 95 Percent Group LLC, the trusted source for comprehensive, proven literacy solutions, announced the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education has approved its 95 Phonics Core Program®, 95 Literacy Intervention System™ and Sound Wall Classroom Kit™ as recommended English Language Arts Supplemental Resources. Missouri is one of more than 40 states nationwide to support evidence-based literacy instruction focused on the science of reading. The state’s Missouri Read, Lead, Exceed initiative provides a framework for action to align state, district, and local literacy efforts, with the goal of ensuring every student develops the strong literacy skills they need for the future.

“I am thrilled to see the accelerating, national momentum behind using evidence-based, science of reading aligned instruction to help young learners build literacy skills,” said Brad Lindaas, CEO, 95 Percent Group. “We have already seen our school and district clients in Missouri experience significant literacy success with their students and are excited to participate in the state’s broader goal of supporting every student in growing into a strong reader.”

After an extensive review process of submitted materials, Missouri state education officials selected 95 Percent Group’s programs for inclusion on its recommended supplemental materials list for grades K-5, determining that they meet state curriculum standards and are aligned to the science of reading.

95 Percent Group has a strong track record in Missouri. According to an independent study of 16 Missouri schools conducted over two years by LXD Research, more students were reading on grade level when they used the company’s flagship product, 95 Phonics Core Program, as compared to their peers who were learning with a different program. Based on this study, 95 Phonics Core Program earned the Strong rating on the Evidence for ESSA website for Tier 1, Whole-Class Instruction. The Strong rating confirms that the program’s research meets federal standards under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for demonstrating the highest level of evidence. School partners call the program essential to their students’ literacy progress.

Joplin School District Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services Sarah Mwangi said, “What we have learned on our journey is that 95 Phonics Core Program is a great centerpiece for our literacy instruction. It is the program that we are dedicated to ensuring happens for our kids each day. It’s intensive, explicit and straightforward, offering exactly what you need to do with students instead of being one piece of an overwhelming ‘big box’ curriculum. If you are a district that has struggled with inconsistent foundational literacy instruction and you need to get schools back on the same page, 95 Phonics Core Program is a great, direct, explicit way to do that.”

95 Percent Group products approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education are:

• 95 Phonics Core Program: a Tier 1 structured literacy solution that supports meaningful and effective literacy progress linked across grades, grounded in the science of reading and for the critical K-5 years. The program adds an explicit phonics strand to the daily reading block to ensure that all students receive consistent evidence-based and research-aligned phonics instruction to improve outcomes.
• 95 Literacy Intervention System™: a new digital platform that puts the tools for diagnosing skill gaps, digitally grouping students with similar needs, and assigning targeted reading instruction at teachers’ fingertips. Linking to 95 Phonics Core Program™ and 95 Phonics Lesson Library™, the 95 Literacy Intervention System allows teachers to ensure all students receive the targeted instruction they need to quickly graduate from intervention.
• Sound Wall Classroom Kit for Grades K-2: provides teachers with everything they need to create a Sound Wall to help students build phonological and phonemic awareness. The kit includes Kid Lips® cards, a Kid Lips® teacher’s instructional guide, phoneme/grapheme cards – teacher’s instructional set, phoneme/grapheme mini cards, Student Sound Wall folder, and many other resources.

For additional information, visit: https://www.95percentgroup.com.

About 95 Percent Group

95 Percent Group is an education company whose mission is to build on science to empower teachers—supplying the knowledge, resources, and support they need—to develop strong readers. Using an approach that is based in structured literacy, the company’s One95™ Literacy Ecosystem™ integrates professional learning and evidence-based literacy products into one cohesive system that supports consistent instructional routines across tiers and is proven and trusted to help students close skill gaps and read fluently. 95 Percent Group is also committed to advancing research, best practices, and thought leadership on the science of reading more broadly. For more information, visit www.95percentgroup.com.

About LXD Research

LXD Research is an independent evaluation, research, and consulting division within Charles River Media Group focusing on educational programs. They design rigorous research studies, multifaceted data analytic reporting, and dynamic content to disseminate insights. Visit www.LXDResearch.com.

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