Program Information
- ISBN
- 9781623825102
- Technical Specifications: Checklist
- Tech Specs: Checklist (pdf 524.23 KB)
- Technical Specifications: Professional Development
- Tech Specs: Professional Development (pdf 180.38 KB)
Ascend Focus, Grade 2
Grade 2
IMRA 2026
Publisher: Reading Horizons dba HEC Software Inc.
Copyright: 2026
Series includes:
Rubric: Supplemental RLA K–5 (English) (Download Not Available)
* Some programs submit evidence for only part of a standard, while others submit all sections. A 100% score means this program met all the expectations it submitted.
Quality Review
Standards Alignment
Rubric Section
| Grade | TEKS % | ELPS % |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 2 | 100% | N/A |
Criteria for Quality
Rubric Section 1
Intentional Instructional Design
Materials support educators in effective implementation through intentional supplemental program design.
Total
100% (10 out of 10 points)
Evaluation for 1.1a
The materials explain that the program is an intensive intervention for students who require instruction beyond tier 1 core literacy. “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” states that the program addresses persistent skill gaps through explicit, systematic instruction, supporting its stated purpose of targeted remediation and intervention.
The “Program Architecture” overview in the program guide identifies the program’s purpose as a targeted, educator-led intervention for students with foundational skill gaps. The material’s stated purpose describes individualized intervention for grades K–12 that pinpoints where support is needed to enable targeted, developmentally aligned instruction. The program aligns with Ascend Mastery and can function either independently or within any core literacy program.
Evaluation for 1.1b
“Using Ascend Focus to Support Core Literacy Instruction” provides educators with guidance on using Ascend Focus alongside an existing core reading and language arts program. The guidance explains that Ascend Focus supplements tier 1 instruction by addressing specific foundational skill gaps through targeted intervention while students continue to receive core literacy instruction.
The materials also provide an overview of how each part of the program works together to support skill mastery. For example, the “Ascend: A Coherent Literacy System for Instruction, Assessment, and Impact” section states that the program is a platform that connects multiple instructional pathways into one coherent system. Each component serves a distinct purpose, allowing students to move seamlessly between levels of support without disruption or inconsistency. Educators operate within a single instructional framework, reducing complexity while increasing effectiveness.
Furthermore, the materials explain how educators use assessment data, differentiated small groups, targeted scaffolding, and intervention pathways within the broader literacy system. The “Lesson and Unit Planning Protocol” directs educators to use weekly checkpoint data, diagnostic assessment information, and grouping recommendations to provide targeted support while students continue participating in core literacy instruction.
Evaluation for 1.1c
The scope and sequence in the “Phonics Instruction” section of the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals identifies the foundational literacy skills taught across skill sets and lessons. In the set of short vowels the skills taught are closed syllables, while the set of long vowels includes vowel teams, silent e, and open syllables.
The “Program Architecture” overview in the program guide provides a rationale for the scope and sequence, noting that the skills taught progress from simple to complex. The materials begin with foundational sound mapping, then progress to structural word building, followed by syllable types and advanced decoding and morphology.
The scope and sequence outlines student expectations, including student-friendly “I can” statements that are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Evaluation for 1.1d
The materials provide guidance for instructional time, pacing, and implementation of interventions. The program guide identifies Ascend Focus as an individualized intervention and recommends 30 minutes of daily instruction when used for tier 3 and special education (SPED) support. The “Program Architecture” overview outlines the instructional time allotted to each phonics intervention, including both explicit educator instruction and student application.
The “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” section provides pacing guidance for the first 30 and 60 days of implementation, including recommended instructional minutes, lessons per week, regrouping based on student data, and adjustments when students master or struggle with concepts. The materials also include a 30-minute intervention block divided among phonics, fluency, and comprehension/writing, with time designated for both educator-led instruction and student practice. This structure supports a gradual release model while allowing educators to adjust instruction based on student needs.
Evaluation for 1.1e
The materials include training and implementation supports designed to help educators implement Ascend Focus with fidelity. The “Program Architecture” overview identifies supports, such as live professional learning, instructional modeling, hands-on practice, coaching, onboarding, self-service resources, and ongoing product support. The materials also include a dedicated implementation guide organized across four phases of the school year to build educator familiarity with instructional routines and strengthen implementation confidence.
Additional educator supports appear throughout the program resources. The Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals provide scripted guidance, phonetic pronunciations, and instructional tips for phonological and phonemic awareness lessons. The “Program Architecture” section explains intervention design and lesson structures, while the “Program Design and Instructional Routines” materials include an “Assessment System Guide” that helps educators interpret assessment results and use data to adjust instruction throughout the year.
Evaluation for 1.1f
The caregiver resources in the “Program Architecture” overview include examples of letters to send home to families in both English and Spanish. These letters provide suggestions for reinforcing skills at home and offer insight into the taught skills. The product has a caregiver letter in both Spanish and English describing how family members can support students at home. For example, the English caregiver letter states, “Read Together Daily: Spending just 10–15 minutes reading together builds strong life long readers.” The letters also state, “Encourage Writing: Invite your child to draw and write about their daily experiences to strengthen their communication skills.”
Furthermore, the materials include progress-sharing tools and at-home literacy strategies in the “Ascend Student Experience” in both English and Spanish. These supports help families monitor student progress and reinforce literacy development outside of the classroom.
1.1 Supplemental Program Design
1.1a
Materials include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., additional instruction and/or practice, targeted remediation or acceleration).
Materials include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., additional instruction and/or practice, targeted remediation or acceleration).
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 1.1a
Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., additional instruction and/or practice, targeted remediation or acceleration).
1 out of 1 points
The “Program Architecture” overview in the program guide identifies the program’s purpose as a targeted, educator-led intervention for students with foundational skill gaps. The material’s stated purpose describes individualized intervention for grades K–12 that pinpoints where support is needed to enable targeted, developmentally aligned instruction. The program aligns with Ascend Mastery and can function either independently or within any core literacy program.
1.1b
Materials include guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program.
Materials include guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 1.1b
Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program.
1 out of 1 points
The materials also provide an overview of how each part of the program works together to support skill mastery. For example, the “Ascend: A Coherent Literacy System for Instruction, Assessment, and Impact” section states that the program is a platform that connects multiple instructional pathways into one coherent system. Each component serves a distinct purpose, allowing students to move seamlessly between levels of support without disruption or inconsistency. Educators operate within a single instructional framework, reducing complexity while increasing effectiveness.
Furthermore, the materials explain how educators use assessment data, differentiated small groups, targeted scaffolding, and intervention pathways within the broader literacy system. The “Lesson and Unit Planning Protocol” directs educators to use weekly checkpoint data, diagnostic assessment information, and grouping recommendations to provide targeted support while students continue participating in core literacy instruction.
1.1c
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining student expectations, skills taught, and a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence.
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining student expectations, skills taught, and a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 1.1c
Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining student expectations, skills taught, and a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence.
3 out of 3 points
The “Program Architecture” overview in the program guide provides a rationale for the scope and sequence, noting that the skills taught progress from simple to complex. The materials begin with foundational sound mapping, then progress to structural word building, followed by syllable types and advanced decoding and morphology.
The scope and sequence outlines student expectations, including student-friendly “I can” statements that are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
1.1d
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 1.1d
Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.
2 out of 2 points
The “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” section provides pacing guidance for the first 30 and 60 days of implementation, including recommended instructional minutes, lessons per week, regrouping based on student data, and adjustments when students master or struggle with concepts. The materials also include a 30-minute intervention block divided among phonics, fluency, and comprehension/writing, with time designated for both educator-led instruction and student practice. This structure supports a gradual release model while allowing educators to adjust instruction based on student needs.
1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 1.1e
Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.
1 out of 1 points
Additional educator supports appear throughout the program resources. The Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals provide scripted guidance, phonetic pronunciations, and instructional tips for phonological and phonemic awareness lessons. The “Program Architecture” section explains intervention design and lesson structures, while the “Program Design and Instructional Routines” materials include an “Assessment System Guide” that helps educators interpret assessment results and use data to adjust instruction throughout the year.
1.1f
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 1.1f
Evaluation for 1.1f
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.
2 out of 2 points
Furthermore, the materials include progress-sharing tools and at-home literacy strategies in the “Ascend Student Experience” in both English and Spanish. These supports help families monitor student progress and reinforce literacy development outside of the classroom.
Rubric Section 2
Progress Monitoring
Materials support educators in effective implementation through frequent, strategic opportunities to monitor and respond to student progress.
Total
100% (13 out of 13 points)
Evaluation for 2.1a
The “Assessment System Guide” outlines a comprehensive assessment structure that includes diagnostic, formative, and progress-monitoring assessments that identify student skill gaps, provide real-time instructional feedback, and measure mastery over time, directly supporting the program’s purpose of targeted remediation and acceleration. The materials explain how each assessment type supports a distinct phase of implementation: Diagnostic assessments identify unfinished foundational literacy skills to guide instructional placement, while formative and progress-monitoring assessments track student growth and inform instructional adjustments throughout the program. When assessments are embedded across the learning cycle this way, the materials reflect the stated purpose of targeted remediation rather than functioning as isolated mastery checks.
The “Intervention Assessment Structure” section of the program guide describes the assessments as a layered assessment system that includes an entry diagnostic, daily lesson checks, and progress monitoring. The “Assessment System Guide” section of “Ascend Program Design and Instruction Routines” explains that the entry diagnostic assessments identify students’ current skill profiles and place the students on personalized learning paths. The daily lesson checks provide real-time formative information for immediate instructional adjustment, and the progress-monitoring assessments occur every 15 calendar days to guide summative recalibration of instruction, intensity, grouping, or skill focus. All the assessments are used for all students, whether they are in targeted remediation or acceleration.
Evaluation for 2.1b
The program guide provides an overview, including the definition and intended purpose of the layered assessment system that supports both placement and progress monitoring. The entry diagnostic (comprehensive) identifies each student’s current skill profile and places them on a personalized learning path. The daily lesson checks (in the moment) provide quick, in-the-moment checks that help educators adjust instruction immediately. Progress monitoring (ongoing) is conducted every 15 calendar days, and provides an ongoing pulse check to ensure intervention effectiveness—guiding recalibration of instruction, intensity, grouping, or skill focus based on student progress.
The “Intervention Assessment Structure” explains that assessments obtain data on individual students’ phonics skills, identify areas where students may need additional instruction or support, and monitor growth. This resource also identifies assessment uses such as identifying gaps and monitoring growth.
Evaluation for 2.1c
The “Assessment System Guide” provides educators with explicit guidance on administering diagnostic, formative, and progress-monitoring assessments, including when each assessment occurs within instruction and how the results inform intervention decisions. The materials establish consistent implementation expectations tied directly to the supplemental instructional model, connecting assessment administration to instructional routines.
The “How to Use It” section in the “Resources” tab of the online platform describes the materials needed and the directions for administering the tests. This section also provides screener notes about marking errors, self-corrections, hesitation errors, and sounding out before reading.
The Digital Teacher Platform further supports consistent implementation by organizing assessment resources within each instructional skill set and embedding assessments directly into the instructional sequence. The materials indicate when assessments occur within instruction and provide aligned resources connected to targeted literacy routines.
Evaluation for 2.1d
The materials include a range of instructional assessment types, varying in structure and complexity. Diagnostic assessments, lesson-embedded formative checks, and progress-monitoring assessments each serve distinct functions, ranging from in-the-moment checks during instruction to more comprehensive measures of skill mastery. This range reflects a design that supports educators in gathering data at multiple points and levels throughout the intervention cycle. The “Intervention Assessment Structure” includes the phonics screener, which provides assessment tasks that progress across foundational skills, including identifying consonant and short vowel sounds, decoding real and nonsense single-syllable and multisyllable words, and encoding.
The program provides assessment items of varying complexity, including multiple-choice, skill-based application tasks, and brief written and oral responses aligned to intervention goals.
Evaluation for 2.2a
The Digital Teacher Platform includes student reports, progress-monitoring reports, and assessment reports that organize student literacy performance and mastery progression across instructional skill sets. These tools support educators in analyzing student growth trends, monitoring intervention effectiveness, and interpreting assessment outcomes to inform instructional decisions throughout the program. The “Data” tab in the educator portal helps educators interpret student performance. The section titled “Group Skill Accuracy” provides educators with percentages that help show whole-class progress on specific skills. This tab also provides a breakdown of students’ accuracy status at the individual level, showing each student’s current intervention status.
The section “Using Progress Monitoring Data” of the “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” informs educators that data is used to establish an instructional starting point for intervention, prioritize the most relevant skills and content, and assign an individualized pathway and experience to support targeted intervention.
Evaluation for 2.2b
In the “Dashboard and Reporting” section of the “Program Design and Instructional Routines,” the materials explain that reports show student mastery and instructional next steps from progress-monitoring data. The guidance states that reports break down student performance, explain where errors are occurring, and suggest specific instructional pivots, supporting educators in responding to assessment trends through regrouping, pacing adjustments, and targeted instruction.
The dashboard of the online platform provides instructional insights for three groups: what the data shows, what it means, and what to do next. In addition, it provides skill group accuracy, showing percentages for who needs support, who is on track, and who is progressing. The dashboard also organizes students by their current skill set, making it easy to manage small-group rotations and launch scripted lessons or digital resources directly from the screen. It highlights upcoming sound–spelling patterns and syllable types, which gives educators a clear road map for maintaining instructional momentum.
Evaluation for 2.2c
The “Intervention Assessment Structure” overview includes printable tools to support educators in tracking student progress and growth. These resources include individual data-summary sheets, progress-monitoring summary sheets, and class-at-a-glance summary sheets, providing educators with organized options for monitoring performance at both the individual and whole-class levels. The “Focus” dashboard provides educators with immediate insight into where individual and group students are on the Phonics Track. At a glance, educators can compare each student’s initial diagnostic placement to current performance, giving a clear picture of growth over time. Students also have access to this progression on the dashboard, reinforcing the shared tracking system that supports goal setting and self-monitoring across the program.
To support student ownership of learning, the program also provides a skill mastery tracker for students to monitor their progress. Within this tool, students record the Skill Set they mastered, their goal, their score, and a personal reflection on what they learned. Together, the educator- and student-facing tracking tools create a shared system for monitoring growth throughout the intervention cycle.
Evaluation for 2.2d
The “Assessment System Guide” explains how diagnostic assessment results identify student skill gaps and determine placement within the intervention model. The materials connect assessment data to intervention decisions by outlining targeted support needs, ongoing progress monitoring, and how student performance informs instructional grouping so educators can act on assessment results with a defined approach to intervention placement.
The “Program Architecture” further explains how student assessment data support the identification of literacy needs and informs ongoing intervention decisions related to foundational skill development and targeted remediation. Exit criteria are also defined, with students exiting the program upon demonstrating mastery of grade-level foundational skills, as evidenced by progress-monitoring and assessment data.
2.1 Instructional Assessments
2.1a
Materials include appropriate instructional assessments for the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., diagnostic placement assessments for targeted remediation or acceleration).
Materials include appropriate instructional assessments for the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., diagnostic placement assessments for targeted remediation or acceleration).
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 2.1a
Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include appropriate instructional assessments for the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., diagnostic placement assessments for targeted remediation or acceleration).
3 out of 3 points
The “Intervention Assessment Structure” section of the program guide describes the assessments as a layered assessment system that includes an entry diagnostic, daily lesson checks, and progress monitoring. The “Assessment System Guide” section of “Ascend Program Design and Instruction Routines” explains that the entry diagnostic assessments identify students’ current skill profiles and place the students on personalized learning paths. The daily lesson checks provide real-time formative information for immediate instructional adjustment, and the progress-monitoring assessments occur every 15 calendar days to guide summative recalibration of instruction, intensity, grouping, or skill focus. All the assessments are used for all students, whether they are in targeted remediation or acceleration.
2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 2.1b
Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.
1 out of 1 points
The “Intervention Assessment Structure” explains that assessments obtain data on individual students’ phonics skills, identify areas where students may need additional instruction or support, and monitor growth. This resource also identifies assessment uses such as identifying gaps and monitoring growth.
2.1c
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 2.1c
Evaluation for 2.1c
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.
1 out of 1 points
The “How to Use It” section in the “Resources” tab of the online platform describes the materials needed and the directions for administering the tests. This section also provides screener notes about marking errors, self-corrections, hesitation errors, and sounding out before reading.
The Digital Teacher Platform further supports consistent implementation by organizing assessment resources within each instructional skill set and embedding assessments directly into the instructional sequence. The materials indicate when assessments occur within instruction and provide aligned resources connected to targeted literacy routines.
2.1d
Instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.
Instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.1d
Evaluation for 2.1d
Instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.
2 out of 2 points
The program provides assessment items of varying complexity, including multiple-choice, skill-based application tasks, and brief written and oral responses aligned to intervention goals.
2.2 Data Analysis and Progress Monitoring
2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 2.2a
Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.
1 out of 1 points
The section “Using Progress Monitoring Data” of the “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” informs educators that data is used to establish an instructional starting point for intervention, prioritize the most relevant skills and content, and assign an individualized pathway and experience to support targeted intervention.
2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 2.2b
Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.
1 out of 1 points
The dashboard of the online platform provides instructional insights for three groups: what the data shows, what it means, and what to do next. In addition, it provides skill group accuracy, showing percentages for who needs support, who is on track, and who is progressing. The dashboard also organizes students by their current skill set, making it easy to manage small-group rotations and launch scripted lessons or digital resources directly from the screen. It highlights upcoming sound–spelling patterns and syllable types, which gives educators a clear road map for maintaining instructional momentum.
2.2c
Materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.
Materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.2c
Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.
2 out of 2 points
To support student ownership of learning, the program also provides a skill mastery tracker for students to monitor their progress. Within this tool, students record the Skill Set they mastered, their goal, their score, and a personal reflection on what they learned. Together, the educator- and student-facing tracking tools create a shared system for monitoring growth throughout the intervention cycle.
2.2d
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 2.2d
Evaluation for 2.2d
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.
2 out of 2 points
The “Program Architecture” further explains how student assessment data support the identification of literacy needs and informs ongoing intervention decisions related to foundational skill development and targeted remediation. Exit criteria are also defined, with students exiting the program upon demonstrating mastery of grade-level foundational skills, as evidenced by progress-monitoring and assessment data.
Rubric Section 3
Supports for All Learners
Materials support educators in reaching all learners through design focused on engagement, representation, and action/expression for learner variability.
Total
89% (8 out of 9 points)
Evaluation for 3.1a
The materials provide comprehensive guidance for differentiated instruction through a fully integrated, data-driven intervention model. The program places students based on diagnostic results; groups them by skill need; and provides support through targeted, educator-led instruction and additional resources, such as the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals and Digital Teacher Platform. This structure ensures that students who have not yet reached proficiency receive precise, responsive instruction aligned to their specific skill gaps.
“Program Design and Instructional Routines” indicates that students are placed in small groups based on skills not yet mastered. Small groups are flexible based on data. Differentiation occurs at three levels: adjusting pacing and scaffolding in whole-group instruction, targeting specific skill needs in small groups, and providing intensive individual intervention.
Evaluation for 3.1b
This guidance is not applicable to the program because the program has a stated purpose of targeted remediation or acceleration, not additional instruction and/or practice.
Evaluation for 3.1c
The materials include educator tips directly within the lesson flow. These tips support educators in meeting learners’ needs. For example, multilingual support instructs educators to allow learners to think, write, or talk about the questions in their home language before translating them to English. The lesson also offers sentence starter supports, such as “I feel safe when __.” However, the lesson does not guide educators in supporting special education students.
In Skill Set 16, lesson 110, “Soft Sounds: c as /s/,” the lesson provides general instructional supports, such as scripted educator prompts, educator modeling, articulation support, guided practice, visual word marking, and structured student response routines. However, the materials do not provide special education supports or guidance for adapting content, methodology, or the delivery of instruction based on a student’s specially designed instructional needs.
The “Learner Variability Framework” includes general guidance in the educator guide about how to support students receiving supports and services through special education. However, the guidance is not tailored to the content, structure, and/or features of the specific instructional program.
Evaluation for 3.2a
The materials include explicit prompts and guidance to support educators in modeling and explaining the skills to be learned. Each lesson provides structured instructional routines with scripted language that guides educators through introducing new skills, modeling concepts, prompting student responses, and facilitating guided practice. The educator-facing materials also include supports, such as sound–spelling image cards and articulation guidance, to help educators clearly explain and model targeted skills.
For example, in Skill Set 17, lesson 113, “Phonetic Skill 5: ai,” the materials provide explicit educator prompts for introducing the target phonics skill, sound articulation using the vowel valley, and spelling with the ai vowel team formation, guiding student responses, and supporting practice before independent application. The materials direct the educator to model marking adjacent vowel teams when the second vowel is silent. The materials also prompt the educator to model fluent reading.
Evaluation for 3.2b
The materials include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches. Lessons follow a structured instructional routine that includes explicit instruction, educator modeling, guided practice, student response opportunities, and skill application. Embedded educator prompts, scripts, and facilitation guidance support educators in implementing instruction across multiple modalities, including oral language, reading, writing, spelling, and fluency activities. The “Program Architecture” section explains that each session incorporates explicit instruction, dictation and encoding, and fluency application to support skill development from initial introduction to independent use.
The materials provide opportunities for students to engage with skills through oral practice, written practice, partner discussions, and reading and writing activities. For example, in Skill Set 17, lesson 113, “Phonetic Skill 5: ai,” the lesson includes articulation modeling, sound–spelling mapping, educator-guided spelling, dictation, word and sentence fluency, repeated passage reading, partner oral language, and writing connected to the passage “Gail on the Trail.” Similarly, in Skill Set 19, lesson 131, the materials guide educators through educator modeling, guided practice, student response opportunities, fluency practice, and application activities in reading and writing, demonstrating a variety of instructional approaches supported by educator-facing facilitation guidance.
Evaluation for 3.2c
The materials feature a dashboard that organizes students by skill level and instructional placement, providing educators with a clear overview of students’ needs. In addition, the program’s student performance reports supply actionable data to inform instructional and grouping decisions.
The “Ascend Implementation Guide” in the teacher portal includes guidance on recommended structures and recommendations on when to use whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction based on student results.
Evaluation for 3.3a
The materials offer targeted support for emergent bilingual (EB) students, such as call-out boxes with linguistic accommodations, including sentence frames, structured responses, educator modeling, and guided language practice.
Additionally, the materials provide guidance on supporting EB students. For example, in lesson 37, there is a multilingual support call-out box that informs educators that some languages lack a voiced /b/ and the sound of the word, and those learners may replace the /b/ with a voiceless /p/.
In the program guide, the “Multilingual Learners” section guides educators in providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency.
Evaluation for 3.3b
The materials include implementation guidance to support EB students through structured linguistic supports, such as sentence frames, oral language development routines, and educator modeling. For example, in lesson 76, there are oral language activities to target students at the elementary, intermediate, and secondary levels. Additionally, there are writing scaffolds using oral language and reminders to use words, phrases, or complete sentences as appropriate for their skill level.
The “Program Architecture” overview indicates that the materials use an integrated approach to support EB students, combining language and literacy skills. Explicit vocabulary instruction and oral discourse are used to support comprehension.
Support for EB students includes implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.
Evaluation for 3.3c
This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.
3.1 Differentiation and Scaffolds
3.1a
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.1a
Evaluation for 3.1a
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.
1 out of 1 points
“Program Design and Instructional Routines” indicates that students are placed in small groups based on skills not yet mastered. Small groups are flexible based on data. Differentiation occurs at three levels: adjusting pacing and scaffolding in whole-group instruction, targeting specific skill needs in small groups, and providing intensive individual intervention.
3.1b
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.
Not applicable.
Evaluation for 3.1b
Evaluation for 3.1b
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.
Not applicable.
3.1c
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.
0 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.1c
Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.
0 out of 1 points
In Skill Set 16, lesson 110, “Soft Sounds: c as /s/,” the lesson provides general instructional supports, such as scripted educator prompts, educator modeling, articulation support, guided practice, visual word marking, and structured student response routines. However, the materials do not provide special education supports or guidance for adapting content, methodology, or the delivery of instruction based on a student’s specially designed instructional needs.
The “Learner Variability Framework” includes general guidance in the educator guide about how to support students receiving supports and services through special education. However, the guidance is not tailored to the content, structure, and/or features of the specific instructional program.
3.2 Instructional Methods
3.2a
Educator-led supplemental programs include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill(s) to be learned.
Educator-led supplemental programs include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill(s) to be learned.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.2a
Evaluation for 3.2a
Educator-led supplemental programs include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill(s) to be learned.
2 out of 2 points
For example, in Skill Set 17, lesson 113, “Phonetic Skill 5: ai,” the materials provide explicit educator prompts for introducing the target phonics skill, sound articulation using the vowel valley, and spelling with the ai vowel team formation, guiding student responses, and supporting practice before independent application. The materials direct the educator to model marking adjacent vowel teams when the second vowel is silent. The materials also prompt the educator to model fluent reading.
3.2b
Educator-led supplemental programs include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.
Educator-led supplemental programs include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.2b
Evaluation for 3.2b
Educator-led supplemental programs include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.
1 out of 1 points
The materials provide opportunities for students to engage with skills through oral practice, written practice, partner discussions, and reading and writing activities. For example, in Skill Set 17, lesson 113, “Phonetic Skill 5: ai,” the lesson includes articulation modeling, sound–spelling mapping, educator-guided spelling, dictation, word and sentence fluency, repeated passage reading, partner oral language, and writing connected to the passage “Gail on the Trail.” Similarly, in Skill Set 19, lesson 131, the materials guide educators through educator modeling, guided practice, student response opportunities, fluency practice, and application activities in reading and writing, demonstrating a variety of instructional approaches supported by educator-facing facilitation guidance.
3.2c
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.2c
Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.
1 out of 1 points
The “Ascend Implementation Guide” in the teacher portal includes guidance on recommended structures and recommendations on when to use whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction based on student results.
3.3 Support for Emergent Bilingual Students
3.3a
Materials include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
Materials include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 3.3a
Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.
2 out of 2 points
Additionally, the materials provide guidance on supporting EB students. For example, in lesson 37, there is a multilingual support call-out box that informs educators that some languages lack a voiced /b/ and the sound of the word, and those learners may replace the /b/ with a voiceless /p/.
In the program guide, the “Multilingual Learners” section guides educators in providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency.
3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 3.3b
Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.
1 out of 1 points
The “Program Architecture” overview indicates that the materials use an integrated approach to support EB students, combining language and literacy skills. Explicit vocabulary instruction and oral discourse are used to support comprehension.
Support for EB students includes implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.
3.3c
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.
Not applicable.
Evaluation for 3.3c
Evaluation for 3.3c
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.
Not applicable.
Rubric Section 4
Foundational Skills
Materials support the development of foundational skills through systematic and explicit (direct) instruction and practice.
Total
100% (31 out of 31 points)
Evaluation for 4.1a
No evidence of three-cueing as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062 was found in this program.
Evaluation for 4.2a
The scope and sequence lists the skills taught in the program. The lessons in this resource are unnumbered and designed to stand alone from the phonics Skill Set lessons. They are used as needed to provide targeted instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness based on the results of the provided pretests. The sequence begins with foundational listening skills, sound discrimination, and word awareness. It then progresses into the more complex skills of syllable awareness, rhyme awareness, and blending and segmenting onset and rime.
The phonological awareness lessons teach students to blend larger units of sound using syllables before blending phonemes, smaller units of sounds. For example, in a “Blending Syllables” lesson, students blend the syllables /măg - nĭt/ and say the word magnet. In a later lesson, “Blending Phonemes (2 Phonemes),” students blend the phonemes /h/ /ē/ to say the word he.
Evaluation for 4.2b
The scope and sequence lists the skills taught in the program. The lessons in this resource are unnumbered and designed to stand alone from the phonics Skill Set lessons. The instructional sequence effectively builds from foundational to more complex phonemic awareness skills. The sequence begins with the foundational skills of isolating sounds in the initial, medial, and final positions. The lessons then progress to the more complex skills of blending, segmenting, and manipulating phonemes.
The materials teach students to delete initial phonemes before teaching them to delete phonemes in other positions. For example, the “Phoneme Manipulation” lessons in the scope and sequence provide students practice with manipulating phonemes. Students delete initial phonemes, such as part to art, in the first set of lessons of the phoneme manipulation section titled “Deleting Initial Phonemes.” The lessons titled “Deleting Phonemes (Mixed Positions)” provide students opportunities to delete phonemes in mixed positions, including the final position. For example, students delete the final phoneme in herd to make the word her.
Evaluation for 4.2c
The materials include explicit phonological and phonemic awareness instruction to guide educators. In an “Isolating Medial Sounds” lesson, the script guides the educator to say, “We are going to listen for the middle sound in a word. I will say a word, and you will tell me the middle sound in a word.” The educator says the word sun, then asks, “What is the middle sound in the word?” The students answer /ŭ/. The lesson continues with the following words, sled → (/ĕ/), pile → (/ī/), cake → (/ā/), cap → (/ă/), and treat → (/ē/).” The educator validates the students by saying, “Great job listening to the middle sound in a word!”
In a “Blending Phonemes (6 Phonemes)” lesson, the script guides the educators to say, “We are going to blend sounds. That means we will hear the sounds in a word and then put those parts together to say a full word.” The script guides the educator to have the students try one. The educator asks the students to listen and says, “/s/ /t/ /r/ /ĕ/ /ng/ /th/.” Students are asked to blend them together to say the word strength. The educator asks, “What is our full word?” The students answer strength. The script guides the educator to validate the students before having students try the skill on their own. Then the educator says the sounds in a word and the students blend the sounds together and then say the word.
Evaluation for 4.2d
In the “Isolating Final Sounds” lessons of the scope and sequence, students learn how to isolate the final sounds in spoken words. The educator says, “We are going to listen for the last sound in a word. The last sound is the very last sound your mouth makes when you finish saying a word. Listen: laugh. I can say the word slowly to make sure I hear the last sound: /l - ă - ffff/. The last sound in laugh is /f/.” The subsequent “Isolating Final Sounds” lessons provide students cumulative practice in the skill of isolating and identifying the final sounds, using words such as on, jam, bus, with, and budge.
Advanced phoneme deletion, addition, and substitution tasks revisit and extend earlier phonemic awareness skills of identifying phonemes, requiring students to cumulatively apply previously learned sound manipulation strategies. For example, students practice substituting phonemes whole-group with educator guidance in the “Substituting Initial Phonemes” lessons. In a later “Substituting Initial Phonemes” lesson, the educator begins the lesson by saying, “We are going to change sounds to make new words. Listen: man. I’m going to change the first sound /m/ to /r/. The new word is ran. I changed man into ran by changing the first sound.” The script then prompts the educator to say, “Try one with me. Listen: pink. Say it with me: pink. → (pink) Let’s change the first sound /p/ to /w/. What is the new word? → (wink) We changed pink into wink by changing the first sound.”
Evaluation for 4.2e
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught. In the “Segmenting Phonemes” lessons, students practice previously taught skills by breaking words into individual sounds. For example, in “Segmenting Phonemes (2 Phonemes),” students segment words such as go into /g/ /ō/ and us into /ŭ/ /s/. In “Segmenting Phonemes (3 Phonemes),” students segment words such as nine into /n/ /ī/ /n/ and ten into /t/ /ĕ/ /n/.
Students also apply previously taught phonemic awareness skills through structured deletion, addition, and substitution tasks. For example, in “Deleting Final Phonemes,” the educator models how removing a sound changes a word (e.g., lamp → lamb). Students then practice with educator support by removing the final phoneme in words such as dance, identifying that removing /s/ results in Dan. Additional practice continues with words such as bend, hike, boat, and molt, allowing students to apply previously taught deletion skills in multiple contexts.
Evaluation for 4.A.3a
The materials provide a scope and sequence that outlines a structured phonics progression aligned to the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. Instruction systematically builds from foundational sound-symbol correspondence and structural word building to syllable types and advanced decoding and morphological patterns, progressing from simpler to more complex sound–spelling relationships.
The program reflects this progression across lessons. For example, Skill Set 1, lesson 14, focuses on the consonant d representing /d/. In Skill Set 15, lesson 101, students progress to more complex consonant digraph endings, such as ch representing /ch/. Later, in Skill Set 31, lesson 215, students apply advanced morphological knowledge by working with the suffix pattern -age, demonstrating increased complexity in sound–spelling instruction across the sequence.
Evaluation for 4.A.3b
The materials provide explicit phonics instruction in which students decode and encode words using taught sound–spelling patterns through direct educator modeling, guided practice, dictation, marking routines, and cumulative application activities.
For example, in Skill Set 29, lesson 199, the educator explicitly introduces the /ē/ sound and connects it to previously taught spellings, such as e, e-e, ea, ee, and y, then adds ie as another spelling for /ē/. Students apply this instruction by reading and marking words such as field and believe, identifying vowel patterns and syllable divisions, and determining when ie represents the /ē/ sound. Students further practice decoding with words such as pie and cookie, reinforcing their ability to apply multiple spellings for the same sound in both isolation and word-reading contexts.
Evaluation for 4.A.3c
The program structures the lessons to provide cumulative practice for both decoding and encoding words in isolation and in decodable connected texts. The “Fluency” portion of the lessons provides decoding practice in “Word-Level Accuracy,” “Sentence-Level Accuracy,” and “Passage Fluency” activities. The dictation-bank portion of the lessons provides encoding practice using “Word Chain” and “Sentence Dictation” activities.
The materials provide cumulative student practice in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns. For example, in Skill Set 16, lesson 107, students practice decoding words in isolation in the “Word-Level Accuracy” section within the “Fluency” portion of the lesson. Words include breve, theme, and Steve. During the “Sentence-Level Accuracy” and “Passage Fluency” sections of the lesson, students practice decoding words in decodable connected text using sentences including “The dusk this eve is full of red and pink,” and a brief passage titled “The Skit.”
Evaluation for 4.A.3d
The materials provide student practice of sound–spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught. For example, the Skill Set 14 “Fluency” passage provides student practice aligned to the sound–spelling patterns students are studying in the lesson sequence. The passage and related practice materials are connected to the phonetic patterns taught in Skill Set 14 lessons, and students apply their knowledge of sound–spelling patterns in connected text practice rather than practicing unrelated patterns.
The program’s lessons build upon each other by reinforcing previously taught skills. For example, in Skill Set 20, lesson 134, students receive explicit instruction on the /er/ sound–spelling patterns er and ir, including guided examples of how the sound is represented in print. In the following lesson, students apply this previously taught pattern by decoding /er/ words such as stir, chirp, and merged, with no new patterns introduced. Students then extend this practice by reading the controlled decodable passage “The Storm,” which reinforces the same /er/ spelling patterns in connected text.
Evaluation for 4.B.3a
The Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals provide a structured routine for teaching high-frequency words through the “High-Frequency Words” section, which includes approximately 125 high-frequency words. Each word follows a consistent two-day instructional routine that includes “Tap It,” “Map It,” “Examine It,” “Read It,” “Write It,” “Review It,” “Read It Again,” “Write It Again,” and “Extend It,” supported by scripted educator directions, student responses, and explicit modeling.
The “High-Frequency Words” section indicates that the high-frequency words come from the “Children’s Picture Book (CPB) Sight Words” list and makes recommendations for words taught at each grade level.
Evaluation for 4.B.3b
The materials include explicit instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, students learn the word said in the lesson “Word: said (Day 1)” in the “High-Frequency Word” section. In the “Tap It” activity, the educator says, “Say the word said. → (said). Tell me the sounds in the word said. → (/s/ /ĕ/ /d/). How many sounds are there? → (three).” During the “Examine It” activity, the educator says, “Let’s look closely at the unusual part. Usually when we hear the sound /ĕ/, it is spelled with the letter e. Which letters are spelling this sound in the word said? → (ai).” Finally, in the “Read It” activity, the educator asks the students to read the word said. The structure of and activities within this lesson are replicated in all day-one lessons.
Additionally, the materials include explicit instruction in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, students spell the word said in the lesson “Word: said (Day 1).” During the “Map It” activity, the educator says, “What’s the first sound in the word said? → (/s/). What letter can spell that sound? → (s). Write the letter s. What’s the next sound in the word said? → (/ĕ/) Here is an unusual spelling. Write the letters ai. What’s the last sound in the word said? → (/d/) What letter can spell that sound? → (d) Write the letter d. We have letters to match each sound in the word said.” Then, in the “Write It” activity, the educator asks the students to write and spell the word said three times. The structure of and activities within this lesson are replicated in all day 1 lessons.
Evaluation for 4.B.3c
The materials include cumulative practice in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. In the “High-Frequency Words” section, the students learn a word in day 1 lessons. During day 2 lessons, the students read the word in isolation and in sentences. For example, the students read the word said in isolation and in a sentence (“She said hello”) in the “Read It” activity. Additionally, students develop automaticity, reading the word said in the passages included in the online Skill Set lessons. Specifically, the Skill Set 30, lesson 137, passage titled “The Gym Myth” provides students an opportunity to practice decoding the word said.
Additionally, the materials include cumulative practice in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. During day 2 high-frequency word lessons, students say how to write the word and then practice writing it in sentences. For example, the students write the sentences “Sam said the pot is hot” and “Min said I can pet the cat” in the lesson “Word: said (Day 2).”
Evaluation for 4.B.3d
The lessons in the “High-Frequency Words” section are grouped into two-day segments. Day 1 lessons introduce a high-frequency word through “Tap It,” “Map It,” “Examine It,” “Read It,” and “Write It” activities. Students identify the sounds they hear in the word, discuss the word, read it, and write it. Day 2 lessons extend the learning from day 2 lessons through “Review It,” “Read It,” “Write It,” and “Extend It” activities. Students practice reading and writing the explicitly taught words from day 1 lessons in connected text.
Students decode high-frequency words in decodable texts that feature high-frequency words introduced during explicit instruction in the “High-Frequency Words” lessons. For example, the passage titled “Knox and the Red Knapsack” in Skill Set 26, lesson 176, targets high-frequency words such as he, put, friend, and his.
Evaluation for 4.C.3a
Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals provide a scope and sequence for sets of lessons in which phonics skills are taught. The lessons progress from foundational vowel sounds and syllable types to advanced patterns and syllable types. For example, the “Phonetic Skill 4: Vowels a and i” lesson within the “Long Vowels” section of lessons introduces the VCe syllable pattern, while the lesson “Vowel R Variations: Phonetic Skills 4 and 5” within the “Advanced Vowel Patterns” section of lessons introduces r-controlled syllables. A later lesson, “Flexible Syllables,” within the “Syllable Types and Multisyllabic Words” section describes how to divide multisyllabic words with consonant blends.
The materials also include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in the online lessons. The scope and sequence groups lessons within skill sets and lists when phonetic skills, or syllable types, are taught. Lessons in Skill Sets 17 and 18 introduce vowel teams and VCe syllables, while lessons in Skill Sets 19 and 20 teach r-controlled syllables. Finally, the lessons in Skill Set 21 teach consonant-le syllables. The scope and sequence further outlines how multisyllabic instruction builds from previously taught phonics skills into structured syllable division practice, supporting cumulative decoding development.
Evaluation for 4.C.3b
The materials include explicit instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. In Skill Set 14, lesson 92, students receive explicit instruction in decoding and encoding CVC words through educator modeling and guided practice. The educator demonstrates how to decode words such as hen and guides students in encoding words such as wet. Students then apply the same skill in additional encoding practice using words such as mop, did, and log through a structured word chaining routine.
In Skill Set 27, lesson 183, students receive explicit instruction in decoding multisyllabic consonant-le words. The educator models how to identify vowel patterns, divide words into syllables, and apply schwa as needed. Students then decode and encode words such as table, apple, and bottle, applying syllable division steps with educator guidance before practicing independently in sentences and connected text.
Evaluation for 4.C.3c
The materials include cumulative student practice in decoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. Skill Set 15, lesson 99 provides cumulative practice with a taught one-syllable pattern in isolation, sentence reading, and connected text. Students read short e words such as best and dress, a sentence with short e words, and then the passage “The Red Vest.”
The materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. For example, in Skill Set 29, lesson 198, students use rules they have learned about dividing words to help them read the parts, or syllables. Students first divide two-syllable words such as robot and napkin, and then divide words with three or more syllables, such as potato, remember, and volcano. Students then use the rules they have learned to spell words such as family, computer, and important. Practice extends into sentence-level reading and decodable passages, reinforcing application of syllable division skills and supporting automaticity through repeated exposure across multiple contexts.
Evaluation for 4.C.3d
The materials ensure student practice is aligned with explicit instruction, introducing only the syllable types and division principles that have already been taught. For example, in Skill Set 17, lesson 116, students receive direct instruction on the vowel team ee before working independently. The educator demonstrates how to spell the word meet before moving into independent student practice with the words feed, reef, and free.
The materials provide practice of syllable types and syllable-division properties that have been explicitly taught. For example, in Skill Set 29, lesson 198, students learn to divide multisyllabic words after they have learned rules about dividing words to help them read the parts, or syllables. Students previously learned Decoding Skill 1, which teaches students that when there is only one consonant between two vowels, the consonant moves, or runs, with the next syllable. Students have also previously learned Decoding Skill 2, which teaches students that when there are two consonants between two vowels, the consonants “split.” In lesson 198, students use these previously learned rules to divide words such as potato, remember, and volcano into syllables.
Evaluation for 4.D.3a
The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals outline a cumulative progression in which students move from base words and inflectional endings to more complex morphological structures. Instruction begins with common suffixes such as -s and -es and progresses to -ed and -ing as students build understanding of how morphemes change word meaning and function. This sequence is designed to support increasingly complex word analysis and application of morphological patterns over time.
For example, in Skill Sets 13–15, students develop foundational understanding of base words and spelling patterns before applying suffix instruction in Skill Set 15, lesson 103, where the suffix -ing is introduced. Students analyze how the suffix changes both meaning and grammatical function, then apply the morpheme in spelling, reading, and writing words containing -ing.
Evaluation for 4.D.3b
The materials include explicit instruction on morphological skills. For example, in Skill Set 28, lesson 192, students learn the prefix un-. The materials state, “A prefix is a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word that can change the meaning. When we add un- to a word, it means not or the opposite of.” The educator is prompted to say, “I feel happy when I play with my friends. The base word happy means feeling joy or pleasure. Now let’s add the prefix un-. Read the word with me.” The students say the word unhappy. The educator continues by saying, “I feel unhappy when I am sick. The word unhappy means not happy. The prefix un- helps us understand that something is not or the opposite of.” Once the skill has been taught, the students practice spelling words with the prefix un-, followed by word, sentence, and passage fluency.
Additionally, in Skill Set 24, lesson 168, students learn the suffix -er. The materials prompt the educator to say, “A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word that can change the meaning of the word. The suffix -er can mean a lot of things! It can mean more when comparing two things.” The script then prompts the educator to say, “I am fast to eat when I am hungry. The base word fast is an adjective that means moving quickly. Now let’s add the suffix -er.” Once the -er is added, the educator explains that faster means “more fast” or “more quick,” and provides the example, “A cheetah is faster than a dog.” Next the educator explains that “By adding the suffix -er, we made a word that compares two things.” Once the skill has been taught, the students practice spelling words with the suffix -er, followed by word, sentence, and passage fluency.
Evaluation for 4.D.3c
The materials provide opportunities for students to practice morphological skills by decoding words in isolation. For example, in Skill Set 18, lesson 124, students learn the sound of -ed as /t/. The materials state, “A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word that can change the meaning of the word. The suffix -ed changes a word to mean that an action has already happened. This suffix is special because the way we read it depends on the last sound in the base word. We will practice -ed spelling /t/ first.” Students practice adding the suffix -ed to base words and learn that because the last sound of the base word is a voiceless sound, the -ed says /t/. Student then practice reading words with the suffix -ed, such as asked, bumped, and reached.
The materials also include cumulative practice of morphological skills in connected text to develop automaticity. In Skill Set 18, lesson 124, after isolated word decoding, students practice decoding words with the suffix -ed in sentences, such as “Frank munched his lunch and gulped his drink.” Then students practice reading words with suffix -ed in the passage titled “Jake at Camp.”
Evaluation for 4.D.3d
The “Resource Morphology” section of the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals provides a list of 133 morphemes, followed by detailed scripts for explicit instruction of each morpheme. The instruction for each morpheme spans two days or sessions, which includes “Morpheme–Word Connection” and “Word Analysis” activities. For example, the lesson on the suffix -able introduces the new morpheme and gives an explanation of its origin and meaning and how it is used. Students apply that knowledge in the second -able lesson to words such as washable, comfortable, and understandable.
The materials provide opportunities for students to practice morphemes that have been explicitly taught. For example, in Skill Set 25, lesson 172, students learn the suffix -est. The materials state, “A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word that can change the meaning of the word. The suffix -est means the most and is used to compare three or more things.” Students practice adding the suffix -est to base words and learn that because the word ends with a single consonant, it is necessary to double that consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel. After spelling dictated words with the suffix -est, students practice reading words such as smallest, neatest, and wisest. They then read the sentence “The brightest star might be the closest.” Finally, students practice reading words with suffix -est fluently in a passage titled “The Suffix -est.”
4.1 Non-Negotiable: Prohibition of Three-Cueing
4.1a
Materials do not include the three-cueing method as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062. TEC, §28.0062 defines three-cueing as a method of reading instruction for the identification of words in which a student is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based approach.
Materials do not include the three-cueing method as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062. TEC, §28.0062 defines three-cueing as a method of reading instruction for the identification of words in which a student is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based approach.
Not scored
Evaluation for 4.1a
Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials do not include the three-cueing method as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062. TEC, §28.0062 defines three-cueing as a method of reading instruction for the identification of words in which a student is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based approach.
0 out of 0 points
4.2 Phonological and Phonemic Awareness (K-2)
4.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2a
Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.
1 out of 1 points
The phonological awareness lessons teach students to blend larger units of sound using syllables before blending phonemes, smaller units of sounds. For example, in a “Blending Syllables” lesson, students blend the syllables /măg - nĭt/ and say the word magnet. In a later lesson, “Blending Phonemes (2 Phonemes),” students blend the phonemes /h/ /ē/ to say the word he.
4.2b
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills (e.g., identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes) to more complex skills (e.g., adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes).
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills (e.g., identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes) to more complex skills (e.g., adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes).
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2b
Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills (e.g., identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes) to more complex skills (e.g., adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes).
1 out of 1 points
The materials teach students to delete initial phonemes before teaching them to delete phonemes in other positions. For example, the “Phoneme Manipulation” lessons in the scope and sequence provide students practice with manipulating phonemes. Students delete initial phonemes, such as part to art, in the first set of lessons of the phoneme manipulation section titled “Deleting Initial Phonemes.” The lessons titled “Deleting Phonemes (Mixed Positions)” provide students opportunities to delete phonemes in mixed positions, including the final position. For example, students delete the final phoneme in herd to make the word her.
4.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2c
Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
In a “Blending Phonemes (6 Phonemes)” lesson, the script guides the educators to say, “We are going to blend sounds. That means we will hear the sounds in a word and then put those parts together to say a full word.” The script guides the educator to have the students try one. The educator asks the students to listen and says, “/s/ /t/ /r/ /ĕ/ /ng/ /th/.” Students are asked to blend them together to say the word strength. The educator asks, “What is our full word?” The students answer strength. The script guides the educator to validate the students before having students try the skill on their own. Then the educator says the sounds in a word and the students blend the sounds together and then say the word.
4.2d
Materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2d
Evaluation for 4.2d
Materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Advanced phoneme deletion, addition, and substitution tasks revisit and extend earlier phonemic awareness skills of identifying phonemes, requiring students to cumulatively apply previously learned sound manipulation strategies. For example, students practice substituting phonemes whole-group with educator guidance in the “Substituting Initial Phonemes” lessons. In a later “Substituting Initial Phonemes” lesson, the educator begins the lesson by saying, “We are going to change sounds to make new words. Listen: man. I’m going to change the first sound /m/ to /r/. The new word is ran. I changed man into ran by changing the first sound.” The script then prompts the educator to say, “Try one with me. Listen: pink. Say it with me: pink. → (pink) Let’s change the first sound /p/ to /w/. What is the new word? → (wink) We changed pink into wink by changing the first sound.”
4.2e
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught.
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.2e
Evaluation for 4.2e
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Students also apply previously taught phonemic awareness skills through structured deletion, addition, and substitution tasks. For example, in “Deleting Final Phonemes,” the educator models how removing a sound changes a word (e.g., lamp → lamb). Students then practice with educator support by removing the final phoneme in words such as dance, identifying that removing /s/ results in Dan. Additional practice continues with words such as bend, hike, boat, and molt, allowing students to apply previously taught deletion skills in multiple contexts.
4.A.3 Sound-Spelling Patterns
4.A.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.A.3a
Evaluation for 4.A.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
The program reflects this progression across lessons. For example, Skill Set 1, lesson 14, focuses on the consonant d representing /d/. In Skill Set 15, lesson 101, students progress to more complex consonant digraph endings, such as ch representing /ch/. Later, in Skill Set 31, lesson 215, students apply advanced morphological knowledge by working with the suffix pattern -age, demonstrating increased complexity in sound–spelling instruction across the sequence.
4.A.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.A.3b
Evaluation for 4.A.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
2 out of 2 points
For example, in Skill Set 29, lesson 199, the educator explicitly introduces the /ē/ sound and connects it to previously taught spellings, such as e, e-e, ea, ee, and y, then adds ie as another spelling for /ē/. Students apply this instruction by reading and marking words such as field and believe, identifying vowel patterns and syllable divisions, and determining when ie represents the /ē/ sound. Students further practice decoding with words such as pie and cookie, reinforcing their ability to apply multiple spellings for the same sound in both isolation and word-reading contexts.
4.A.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 4.A.3c
Evaluation for 4.A.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
3 out of 3 points
The materials provide cumulative student practice in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns. For example, in Skill Set 16, lesson 107, students practice decoding words in isolation in the “Word-Level Accuracy” section within the “Fluency” portion of the lesson. Words include breve, theme, and Steve. During the “Sentence-Level Accuracy” and “Passage Fluency” sections of the lesson, students practice decoding words in decodable connected text using sentences including “The dusk this eve is full of red and pink,” and a brief passage titled “The Skit.”
4.A.3d
Student practice includes only sound-spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught.
Student practice includes only sound-spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.A.3d
Evaluation for 4.A.3d
Student practice includes only sound-spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
The program’s lessons build upon each other by reinforcing previously taught skills. For example, in Skill Set 20, lesson 134, students receive explicit instruction on the /er/ sound–spelling patterns er and ir, including guided examples of how the sound is represented in print. In the following lesson, students apply this previously taught pattern by decoding /er/ words such as stir, chirp, and merged, with no new patterns introduced. Students then extend this practice by reading the controlled decodable passage “The Storm,” which reinforces the same /er/ spelling patterns in connected text.
4.B.3 High-Frequency Words (English Reading Language Arts)
4.B.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.B.3a
Evaluation for 4.B.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
The “High-Frequency Words” section indicates that the high-frequency words come from the “Children’s Picture Book (CPB) Sight Words” list and makes recommendations for words taught at each grade level.
4.B.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.B.3b
Evaluation for 4.B.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
2 out of 2 points
Additionally, the materials include explicit instruction in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, students spell the word said in the lesson “Word: said (Day 1).” During the “Map It” activity, the educator says, “What’s the first sound in the word said? → (/s/). What letter can spell that sound? → (s). Write the letter s. What’s the next sound in the word said? → (/ĕ/) Here is an unusual spelling. Write the letters ai. What’s the last sound in the word said? → (/d/) What letter can spell that sound? → (d) Write the letter d. We have letters to match each sound in the word said.” Then, in the “Write It” activity, the educator asks the students to write and spell the word said three times. The structure of and activities within this lesson are replicated in all day 1 lessons.
4.B.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level skills as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level skills as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 4.B.3c
Evaluation for 4.B.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level skills as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
3 out of 3 points
Additionally, the materials include cumulative practice in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. During day 2 high-frequency word lessons, students say how to write the word and then practice writing it in sentences. For example, the students write the sentences “Sam said the pot is hot” and “Min said I can pet the cat” in the lesson “Word: said (Day 2).”
4.B.3d
Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught.
Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.B.3d
Evaluation for 4.B.3d
Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Students decode high-frequency words in decodable texts that feature high-frequency words introduced during explicit instruction in the “High-Frequency Words” lessons. For example, the passage titled “Knox and the Red Knapsack” in Skill Set 26, lesson 176, targets high-frequency words such as he, put, friend, and his.
4.C.3 One-Syllable and Multisyllabic Words
4.C.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.C.3a
Evaluation for 4.C.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
The materials also include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in the online lessons. The scope and sequence groups lessons within skill sets and lists when phonetic skills, or syllable types, are taught. Lessons in Skill Sets 17 and 18 introduce vowel teams and VCe syllables, while lessons in Skill Sets 19 and 20 teach r-controlled syllables. Finally, the lessons in Skill Set 21 teach consonant-le syllables. The scope and sequence further outlines how multisyllabic instruction builds from previously taught phonics skills into structured syllable division practice, supporting cumulative decoding development.
4.C.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.C.3b
Evaluation for 4.C.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
2 out of 2 points
In Skill Set 27, lesson 183, students receive explicit instruction in decoding multisyllabic consonant-le words. The educator models how to identify vowel patterns, divide words into syllables, and apply schwa as needed. Students then decode and encode words such as table, apple, and bottle, applying syllable division steps with educator guidance before practicing independently in sentences and connected text.
4.C.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 4.C.3c
Evaluation for 4.C.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.
3 out of 3 points
The materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. For example, in Skill Set 29, lesson 198, students use rules they have learned about dividing words to help them read the parts, or syllables. Students first divide two-syllable words such as robot and napkin, and then divide words with three or more syllables, such as potato, remember, and volcano. Students then use the rules they have learned to spell words such as family, computer, and important. Practice extends into sentence-level reading and decodable passages, reinforcing application of syllable division skills and supporting automaticity through repeated exposure across multiple contexts.
4.C.3d
Student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.
Student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.C.3d
Evaluation for 4.C.3d
Student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
The materials provide practice of syllable types and syllable-division properties that have been explicitly taught. For example, in Skill Set 29, lesson 198, students learn to divide multisyllabic words after they have learned rules about dividing words to help them read the parts, or syllables. Students previously learned Decoding Skill 1, which teaches students that when there is only one consonant between two vowels, the consonant moves, or runs, with the next syllable. Students have also previously learned Decoding Skill 2, which teaches students that when there are two consonants between two vowels, the consonants “split.” In lesson 198, students use these previously learned rules to divide words such as potato, remember, and volcano into syllables.
4.D.3 Morphemes (1-5)
4.D.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.D.3a
Evaluation for 4.D.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
For example, in Skill Sets 13–15, students develop foundational understanding of base words and spelling patterns before applying suffix instruction in Skill Set 15, lesson 103, where the suffix -ing is introduced. Students analyze how the suffix changes both meaning and grammatical function, then apply the morpheme in spelling, reading, and writing words containing -ing.
4.D.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.D.3b
Evaluation for 4.D.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Additionally, in Skill Set 24, lesson 168, students learn the suffix -er. The materials prompt the educator to say, “A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word that can change the meaning of the word. The suffix -er can mean a lot of things! It can mean more when comparing two things.” The script then prompts the educator to say, “I am fast to eat when I am hungry. The base word fast is an adjective that means moving quickly. Now let’s add the suffix -er.” Once the -er is added, the educator explains that faster means “more fast” or “more quick,” and provides the example, “A cheetah is faster than a dog.” Next the educator explains that “By adding the suffix -er, we made a word that compares two things.” Once the skill has been taught, the students practice spelling words with the suffix -er, followed by word, sentence, and passage fluency.
4.D.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice of morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text, to develop automaticity.
Materials include cumulative student practice of morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text, to develop automaticity.
2 out of 2 points
Evaluation for 4.D.3c
Evaluation for 4.D.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice of morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text, to develop automaticity.
2 out of 2 points
The materials also include cumulative practice of morphological skills in connected text to develop automaticity. In Skill Set 18, lesson 124, after isolated word decoding, students practice decoding words with the suffix -ed in sentences, such as “Frank munched his lunch and gulped his drink.” Then students practice reading words with suffix -ed in the passage titled “Jake at Camp.”
4.D.3d
Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught.
Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 4.D.3d
Evaluation for 4.D.3d
Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught.
1 out of 1 points
The materials provide opportunities for students to practice morphemes that have been explicitly taught. For example, in Skill Set 25, lesson 172, students learn the suffix -est. The materials state, “A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word that can change the meaning of the word. The suffix -est means the most and is used to compare three or more things.” Students practice adding the suffix -est to base words and learn that because the word ends with a single consonant, it is necessary to double that consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel. After spelling dictated words with the suffix -est, students practice reading words such as smallest, neatest, and wisest. They then read the sentence “The brightest star might be the closest.” Finally, students practice reading words with suffix -est fluently in a passage titled “The Suffix -est.”
Rubric Section 5
Vocabulary
Materials support the development of vocabulary by teaching specific words and word-learning strategies.
Not applicable for this program.
Rubric Section 6
Fluency
Materials support the development of reading fluency (i.e., rate, accuracy, prosody) with grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Total
100% (7 out of 7 points)
Evaluation for 6.1a
The materials include modeling of fluent reading in the online lessons. Each lesson includes a “Passage Fluency” activity at the end of the lesson after explicit instruction and practice with new skills. The lessons explain that the passages will be read four times. The first read is done by the educator to model fluent reading. The second read is a choral read by the students. The educator reads with the students, but gradually fades their voice so the students take the lead. The third read is a partner read, with the educator supporting as needed. The fourth read is an independent read by the students.
For example, Skill Set 26, lesson 181, includes a “Passage Fluency” routine for “The Lemon Salad” after instruction in long-to-short vowel flexibility. The educator first models fluent reading, then students reread through choral reading, partner reading, and independent reading. The passage includes multisyllabic words such as lemon, kitchen, spinach, metal, melon, salad, and added, giving students repeated opportunities to hear the taught syllable and vowel patterns read fluently.
Evaluation for 6.1b
The materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with lists, sentences, and passages. Each lesson includes a “Fluency” section to practice taught skills after direct instruction of sound and spelling patterns. During the first activity within the “Fluency” section, “Word-Level Accuracy,” the educator projects lists of words for the students to read. The educator then projects sentences for students to read in the “Sentence-Level Accuracy” activity. The third activity, “Passage Fluency,” provides opportunities for students to first hear fluent reading of a passage modeled by the educator before choral reading, partner reading, and independent reading. Each activity gives students opportunities to practice fluent reading of taught skills from the lesson.
For example, in Skill Set 19, lesson 127, in the “Fluency” section, the “Word-Level Accuracy” activity supplies a list of four words. The educator is directed to say, “Read each word I show you.” The educator displays the words wagging, dimmed, bagged, and setting. Students read the list of words and the educator provides two more lists for students to read containing more words with the suffixes -ing and -ed. Students are also asked to fluently read the sentence “Sue kicked her legs and swished her arms while she was swimming.” The educator directs the students to a passage titled “Fixing the Shed.” Students engage in the four-read protocol with the passage.
Evaluation for 6.1c
The online lessons include passages in the “Fluency” section with words for students to read chorally, with a partner, and independently. The passages are different for each lesson and include words with taught phonics patterns from direct instruction earlier in the lessons. The lessons offer a variety of fluency passages for students to read chorally, such as informational, narrative, fiction, and procedural texts.
For example, Skill Set 15, lessons 99–105, provide narrative texts such as “The Red Vest,” “The Camp,” “The Lunch Bench,” and “The Flu.” Skill Set 17, lesson 116, provides a nonfiction text titled “A Reef.”
Evaluation for 6.1d
The materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity. For example, in Skill Set 8, lesson 53, the fluency passage “Ked the Bug” contains simple sentences with decodable CVC words, such as: “Kip was a kid. Kip had a pet bug, Ked. Ked was fat and red.” As the lessons progress, the passage complexity increases. In Skill Set 15, lesson 104, the passage “The Slate Cave” contains decodable CVCe words in compound sentences, such as “Jade had a blade and Chase had a cane to help on the path.”
Skill Set 18, lesson 125, includes the fluency passage “The Rainy Plan.” The passage contains a variety of sentences that include decodable words with vowel teams and inflectional endings, as well as conjunctions, such as “Mom had planned a trip to the park, but the wind swayed the trees and rain drained down the path.” As students progress through the lessons, passage complexity increases. For example, in Skill Set 22, lesson 148, the fluency passage “A Squirming Squid” contains a complex, interrogative sentences with quotation marks and words with inflectional endings, such as “My friend squinted at the sun and asked, ‘Did you see that?’”
Evaluation for 6.1e
The materials provide opportunities for students to practice fluency by reading sentences and passages. Each lesson includes a “Passage Fluency” activity at the end of the lesson, after explicit instruction and practice with new skills. Each lesson guides the educator to read the passage four times. The educator reads first to model fluent reading. During the second read, the educator leads choral reading while fading their voice to allow students to take the lead. For the third read, the lessons guide the educator to have learners read with a partner and provide support as needed. The educator allows students to read independently for the fourth read. The script also guides educators to use echo reading or partner reading for additional support.
The “Ascend Corrective Feedback and Next Steps Guide” provides explicit educator guidance for corrective feedback on accuracy, rate, and prosody, including modeling, guided correction, rereading, and targeted next steps based on the identified fluency errors.
6.1 Fluency
6.1a
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 6.1a
Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).
1 out of 1 points
For example, Skill Set 26, lesson 181, includes a “Passage Fluency” routine for “The Lemon Salad” after instruction in long-to-short vowel flexibility. The educator first models fluent reading, then students reread through choral reading, partner reading, and independent reading. The passage includes multisyllabic words such as lemon, kitchen, spinach, metal, melon, salad, and added, giving students repeated opportunities to hear the taught syllable and vowel patterns read fluently.
6.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.
3 out of 3 points
Evaluation for 6.1b
Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.
3 out of 3 points
For example, in Skill Set 19, lesson 127, in the “Fluency” section, the “Word-Level Accuracy” activity supplies a list of four words. The educator is directed to say, “Read each word I show you.” The educator displays the words wagging, dimmed, bagged, and setting. Students read the list of words and the educator provides two more lists for students to read containing more words with the suffixes -ing and -ed. Students are also asked to fluently read the sentence “Sue kicked her legs and swished her arms while she was swimming.” The educator directs the students to a passage titled “Fixing the Shed.” Students engage in the four-read protocol with the passage.
6.1c
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 6.1c
Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
1 out of 1 points
For example, Skill Set 15, lessons 99–105, provide narrative texts such as “The Red Vest,” “The Camp,” “The Lunch Bench,” and “The Flu.” Skill Set 17, lesson 116, provides a nonfiction text titled “A Reef.”
6.1d
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 6.1d
Evaluation for 6.1d
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.
1 out of 1 points
Skill Set 18, lesson 125, includes the fluency passage “The Rainy Plan.” The passage contains a variety of sentences that include decodable words with vowel teams and inflectional endings, as well as conjunctions, such as “Mom had planned a trip to the park, but the wind swayed the trees and rain drained down the path.” As students progress through the lessons, passage complexity increases. For example, in Skill Set 22, lesson 148, the fluency passage “A Squirming Squid” contains a complex, interrogative sentences with quotation marks and words with inflectional endings, such as “My friend squinted at the sun and asked, ‘Did you see that?’”
6.1e
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).
1 out of 1 points
Evaluation for 6.1e
Evaluation for 6.1e
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).
1 out of 1 points
The “Ascend Corrective Feedback and Next Steps Guide” provides explicit educator guidance for corrective feedback on accuracy, rate, and prosody, including modeling, guided correction, rereading, and targeted next steps based on the identified fluency errors.
Rubric Section 7
Handwriting
Materials support the development of handwriting skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Not applicable for this program.
Rubric Section 8
Reading Comprehension
Materials support the development of reading comprehension skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Not applicable for this program.
Rubric Section 9
Writing
Materials support the development of writing skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.
Not applicable for this program.