Ascend Focus, Grade 4

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).

The materials explain that the program is an intensive intervention for students who require instruction beyond tier 1 core literacy. The “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” document 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 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
Materials include guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program.

The “Using Ascend Focus to Support Core Literacy Instruction” section 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
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining student expectations, skills taught, and a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence.

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 “Ascend Focus Program Architecture” overview 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
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.

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 in the program guide outlines the instructional time allotted for each phonics intervention, including both explicit educator instruction and student application.

The “Ascend Program Design and Instructional Routines” educator guide 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
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.

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 program 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. Program architecture documents explain intervention design and lesson structures, while the “Program Design and Instructional Routines” guide includes an “Assessment System Guide” that helps educators interpret assessment results and use data to adjust instruction throughout the year.

Evaluation for 1.1f
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

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. The letter states how families can support students at home. For example, the English-language 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” section in both English and Spanish. These supports help families monitor student progress and reinforce literacy development outside of the classroom.

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).

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.

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” in the educator portal 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
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.

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. The 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
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

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. This structure reduces ambiguity around assessment delivery and gives educators a clear, organized path for administering assessments across intervention settings.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.

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 a distinct function, 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 instructional guidance for grade 4 includes a skill-matching table that connects identified deficits from the diagnostic assessment directly to corresponding lessons. Assessed skills span from consonant sounds to decoding multisyllabic words, capturing varying levels of complexity across the foundational skills continuum and giving educators a concrete tool for responding to student data at the appropriate level of instruction.

The instructional guidance for grade 4 illustrates this range in practice. Formative assessments embedded throughout the program offer additional opportunities to check for understanding at varying levels of complexity. In lesson 135, for example, students work with the /er/ sound spelling in both decoding and encoding contexts.

Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.

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 “Group Skill Accuracy” section 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 “Using Progress Monitoring Data” section 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
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

In the “Program Design and Instructional Routines,” the “Dashboard and Reporting” section explains 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
Materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

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
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.

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 how student performance informs instructional grouping, targeted support needs, and ongoing progress monitoring so educators can act on assessment results with a defined approach to intervention placement.

The program architecture further explains how student assessment data supports 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.

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.

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. This structure ensures that students who have not yet reached proficiency receive precise, responsive instruction aligned to their specific skill gaps.

The “Program Design and Instructional Routines” guide 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
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.

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
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

The materials include educator tips directly within the lesson flow. These tips support educators to meet learners’ needs. For example, emergent bilingual (EB) student 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 30, lesson 208, “Suffix: t with ion,” 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 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
Educator-led supplemental programs include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill(s) to be learned.

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 educator 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 32, lesson 224, “Phonetics Prefix: mid-,” the materials provide explicit educator prompts for introducing the target phonics skill and supporting practice with blending before independent application. The materials direct the educator to model marking prefixes by underlining for decoding support. The materials also prompt the educator to model fluent reading.

Evaluation for 3.2b
Educator-led supplemental programs include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

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 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 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 verbal practice, written practice, partner discussions, and reading and writing activities. For example, in Skill Set 21, lesson 146, “Phonetics Prefix: mid-,” 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 “The Midfield Moment.” Similarly, in Skill Set 23, lesson 159, 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
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

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 “Implementation Guide” 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
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.

The materials offer targeted support for 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 those learners may replace the /b/ with a voiceless /p/.

The “Multilingual Learners” section of the program guide aids educators in providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency.

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.

The materials include implementation guidance to support EB students in bilingual and ESL settings 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 multilingual learners, combining language and literacy skills. Explicit vocabulary instruction and oral discourse are used to support comprehension.

The “Multilingual Learners” section of the program guide includes implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.

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.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

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.

No evidence of three-cueing as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062 was found in this program.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological awareness skills.

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).

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonemic awareness skills.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

Evaluation for 4.2e
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

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.

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns aligned with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The scope and sequence has a cumulative progression that moves from foundational sound–symbol mapping to structural word building, phonetic and syllable types, and advanced decoding and morphology. Students progress from simple letter–sound correspondences to increasingly complex sound–spelling patterns, with previously taught concepts reinforced through cumulative review as new skills are introduced.

For grade 4, this progression continues with increasingly complex sound–spelling patterns. For example, in Skill Set 31, lesson 216, students first review the familiar ch spelling for /ch/ in words such as cheese before learning that, in some words borrowed from Greek, the ch grapheme represents the /k/ sound. Students then apply the new pattern by reading words such as ache, chorus, and stomach. This sequence builds on previously taught sound–spelling relationships while introducing more advanced orthographic patterns in alignment with the grade-level TEKS.

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.

The materials include explicit instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns aligned with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. Grade 4 instruction includes scripted educator modeling and explanation. In Skill Set 25, lesson 175, the educator explicitly states the mechanics and reasoning for changing the y to an i when adding suffixes in words that have a consonant before the y. The educator guides students to decode the word funny. The educator then asks what letter comes before the y (n), and then states, “This means we need to change the y to an i before adding the suffix -est.” The educator then guides students to encode and decode words that contain this spelling pattern.

Furthermore, the materials provided include opportunities for educators to provide explicit phonics instruction in which they provide multiple opportunities for students to decode and encode words using taught sound–spelling patterns. The educator’s guidance provides instruction to teach through direct modeling, dictation, marking routines, and cumulative review activities.

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.

The materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns aligned with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose, both in isolation and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity. The instructional routines provide repeated opportunities to review previously taught sound–spelling patterns while introducing new patterns through word lists, spelling activities, sentence reading and writing, and decodable passages. This cumulative design reinforces prior learning while building increasingly automatic word recognition and accurate spelling.

For example, in Skill Set 26, lesson 176, the lesson script reviews that students have previously learned that sometimes words contain silent letters to tell about other letters, to keep spelling correctly, and/or to determine where the word comes from. Students are then introduced to a new silent letter pattern of kn for the /n/ phoneme. Students decode and encode words with kn- for /n/ in isolation, including knee, know, and knot. They practice in sentences, including “Knoll ties a knot to close his knapsack.” Students also read a decodable passage titled “Knox and the Red Knapsack.”

Evaluation for 4.A.3d
Student practice includes only sound-spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught.

In the program materials, student practice includes only sound–spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught. Grade 4 lessons have student practice that only includes sound–spelling patterns that were explicitly taught in the lesson. For example, in Skill Set 8, lesson 50, students are explicitly taught how to use the letter x to make the two sounds /k/ and /s/. Students then encode words that follow that pattern, including fox, six, and ax. Additionally, all the words in the dictation bank are words that use x to spell /k/ /s/. The sentence fluency decoding includes words that follow this spelling pattern, as well as words with previously learned sound–spelling patterns, and they do not include words with unknown spelling patterns.

Building on this approach, the program’s structure and sequencing ensures that student reading and writing tasks map directly onto the phonics concepts that were explicitly taught. As soon as a new sound–spelling pattern is introduced, students apply it right away using dictation and connected decodable text practice.

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.

The materials provide a structured routine for teaching high-frequency words through the “High-Frequency Words” section of the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals, 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 of the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals 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
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.

The materials include explicit instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, students learn the word now in the “High-Frequency Words” lessons. In the “Tap It” activity, students say the word now, segment the sounds, and identify the corresponding letters for each sound. Students then map each phoneme to its spelling and write the word to reinforce sound–symbol correspondence. During the “Examine It” activity, students analyze the word to determine any unusual spelling patterns and connect the sounds to the letters that represent them. Finally, in the “Read It” activity, students read the word now in isolation and in sentences to build automatic recognition. The structure of and activities within this lesson are consistently applied across high-frequency word instruction.

The materials include explicit instruction in encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. For example, students encode the word more using the same instructional routine. During the “Map It” activity, students segment the word into sounds, identify the corresponding letters, and write the word while naming each sound. Students then examine the spelling pattern and reinforce understanding of how letters represent sounds in irregular or less predictable patterns. In the “Write It” activity, students write the word more multiple times while spelling each letter aloud to strengthen encoding and orthographic mapping. Students also apply the word in context by reading and writing sentences, such as “We need more tape.” This step-by-step routine is consistently used across high-frequency word instruction.

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.

The materials include cumulative practice in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. In grade 4, students engage in repeated practice to build fluency and automaticity. On day 2, for example, the guidance states, “We will keep learning about the word you. Say the word you. Read the word you. I like you. Let’s look at sentences with the word you.” The lesson continues as students read the word you within phrases, both chorally and independently, emphasizing automatic recognition and usage.

In addition, the materials provide opportunities for students to revisit and apply high-frequency words across multiple lessons. Instructions incorporate regular and irregular words in connected text as well as in isolation. On day 2, students encounter display sentences with blanks, such as “Can I have ____ juice? My cup is empty.” Students read the sentence and determine that more correctly completes the statement. This interactive approach encourages cumulative practice in decoding and applying high-frequency words within meaningful contexts, supporting the development of automaticity.

Evaluation for 4.B.3d
Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught.

The materials provide students with opportunities to practice only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught. The “High-Frequency Words” section of the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals offers guidance for practicing these words. On day 1 of the lesson for the word that’s, students are instructed to read the word that’s within sentences. The guidance states, “Let’s look at sentences with the word that’s. That’s a frog on the log. Sam said that’s his pen.”

Furthermore, the program reinforces new high-frequency words through multiple forms of practice after explicit instruction. On day 1 of the lesson want, after students have mapped the word want and read it both in isolation and within a sentence, they are asked to turn to a partner and use want in their own sentence. This activity helps students recognize and read the word want within different sentence contexts, supporting students’ oral language practice with their new learning of the word want.

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.

The scope and sequence provides a structured progression of syllable instruction that builds from foundational syllable types into more complex syllable patterns and multisyllabic decoding. Instruction is organized so that students first learn basic syllable types and then apply those patterns to increasingly complex word structures. For example, the grade 4 scope and sequence introduces syllable types in a logical progression, including open syllables, closed syllables, and consonant-le syllables. Instruction continues as students apply syllable knowledge to vowel team syllables and r-controlled vowels in later instructional sections, supporting cumulative skill development. In the Phonics Track scope and sequence, explicit scripting supports this progression. For example, in the “Phonetic Skill 5” section, students are introduced to the vowel team ai, and the educator states, “We are going to learn another Phonetic Skill to prove a long vowel sound,” reinforcing how vowel teams function within syllable patterns

In multisyllabic application lessons, syllable types are applied to word analysis. For example, students analyze syllables in words such as music by identifying syllable breaks and applying syllable-level spelling patterns, including how vowel sounds and final consonant patterns determine spelling choices within syllables. Across the program, syllable types are introduced systematically, then revisited and applied in decoding multisyllabic words, demonstrating a clear instructional progression from simple syllable recognition to multisyllabic word analysis.

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.

The materials include explicit instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The scope and sequence offers detailed scripts for educators to guide students through decoding and encoding these word types. For example, the “Blending Syllables” section provides guided practice with words such as artist and potato. The “Segmenting Syllables” section allows students to practice breaking apart words such as table and animal.

To build on this, Skill Set 29, lesson 198 provides explicit instruction in decoding and encoding both one-syllable and multisyllabic words. The lesson begins by stating the objective: “We will learn about splitting words with more than two syllables.” The educator then connects the new skill to previous lessons on dividing words for easier reading, referencing Decoding Skill 1. Students are guided to decode words such as napkin and robot, and then collaborate with the educator to encode multisyllabic words including potato, remember, and volcano. The lesson emphasizes coding words according to their vowel sounds and the decoding skill previously taught.

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.

The materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words aligned with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose, both in isolation and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity. For example, in Skill Set 14, lesson 93, students practice decoding words such as gum, rub, and fun, use them in sentences, and demonstrate fluency through passage reading in “Help the Pug.” In Skill Set 30, lesson 204, students encode multisyllabic words with the vowel digraph ending -ey, including money and chimney. The remainder of the lesson has students practicing decoding multisyllabic words in isolation and in decodable connected text. The decodable connected text has both multisyllabic words and one-syllable words that follow this pattern, including alley and key.

Expanding on this, the Ascend Focus Teacher Manuals provide cumulative practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable words through explicit phonics routines and rule application. For instance, students learn the /c/ and /k/ spelling generalization and apply this knowledge in practice activities in Skill Set 8, lesson 54 by decoding and encoding words such as cub, cat, kid, and kit. This is followed by sentence and passage-level reading. Additionally, the program explains, “When a word has more than one syllable, and the sound /k/ comes at the end of a short vowel syllable, we can usually spell /k/ with the letter -c.” It then uses the example word music: “How many syllables are in the word music? Two. Since the word music has more than one syllable, and the last sound in the second syllable is /k/, it is spelled with the letter -c.”

Evaluation for 4.C.3d
Student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.

The materials incorporate student practice that includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught. The scope and sequence provides detailed scripts for explicit instruction of phonetic skills, immediately followed by practice of those skills. For example, students are reminded of Phonetic Skill 3 (long vowel sound rule) and then introduced to Phonetic Skill 4: First, the vowel is long when the consonant is silent, and second, the vowel is long when the consonant is silent. Students then participate in guided practice of that specific skill using words such as time and shape.

In Skill Set 30, lesson 209, students practice syllable division by marking an x under vowels to identify how many syllables there are and counting consonants between the vowels to decide where to divide the syllables; the educator points out any syllables that contain a schwa sound. They use these syllable division strategies to read words such as divide, division, and discussion.

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.

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes aligned with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. In Skill Set 10, lesson 70, the suffix -s is explicitly introduced, and students learn how the suffix changes both the form and meaning of a word. Instruction is carefully scaffolded, beginning with direct teaching of the morphological concept and progressing to guided practice and independent application. Students engage in spelling, reading, and writing words containing the newly learned suffix, reinforcing their understanding through multiple modalities.

Additionally, the “Resource: Morphology” section provides a structured progression beginning with a list of 133 morphemes (prefixes, suffixes, and roots), followed by scripted instructional routines for each morpheme. Each morpheme is taught through a consistent two-part sequence: a morpheme-word connection phase, where students are introduced to the morpheme and analyze its meaning within example words, and a word-analysis phase, where students apply their understanding to determine the meaning of words containing the morpheme. For example, students analyze the root fer by examining how it functions across multiple words, reinforcing systematic morphological understanding.

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.

The materials include explicit instruction on morphological skills aligned with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. For example, in grade 4, lessons provide scripted language for educators to explain and analyze the meaning of the prefix ir- and how it changes the meaning of a word. The guidance states, “What does ir- mean? Yes, ir- is a prefix we add to the beginning of a word. It often changes a word to mean the opposite. Read these words (road, irroad). Does this make sense? No, road is a noun, and adding ir- does not create an opposite, so irroad is not a real word.”

In addition, the materials provide explicit instruction on morphological skills, including the prefixes un- and re-. The lesson clearly defines a prefix and explains that re- means “again” or “back,” while un- means “not” or “the opposite of.” Students then practice adding the prefixes re- and un- to root words such as happy and read. As the lesson continues, instruction focuses on how each prefix changes the meaning of the root word, while students practice decoding and encoding words with these new forms.

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.

The program provides cumulative practice in morphological skills through repeated application of previously taught prefixes in both isolated word work and connected contexts. For example, in Skill Set 28, lesson 192, students read and encode words such as replay, untie, and reuse, with educator-supported spelling practice that reinforces the meaning and function of prefixes. Students then extend this practice by reading additional word lists containing unwrap, unsafe, reheat, replace, and unfold, reinforcing cumulative recognition of the prefixes re-, un-, and related morphological structures.

Furthermore, in Skill Set 28, lesson 193, students continue reviewing previously taught morphological patterns through isolated word reading such as reheat, detour, and unload. This repeated exposure across lessons supports cumulative reinforcement of prefix meanings and contributes to developing automaticity in decoding and encoding morphologically complex words. Students then practice this skill in connected text by reading the sentence, “Warren wants to watch a swan swim on the water,” and in the decodable text “The Swarm.”

Evaluation for 4.D.3d
Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught.

The materials provide opportunities for student practice that include only morphemes that have been explicitly taught. Students practice newly introduced morphology, such as the prefix im-, in both isolation and connected text. The lesson states, “Let’s read some words and add the prefix im-. Listen as I start the first pair, then take over reading. Possible---Impossible, Perfect---Imperfect, Polite---Impolite, Balance---Imbalance.”

Additionally, the lessons provide opportunities for students to practice decoding and encoding morphemes that were explicitly taught. After the specific morphology lesson, students read the words in isolation, move on to encoding them,and then finish by practicing that skill within decodable text. For example, in Skill Set 31, lesson 215, students learn suffix -age and practice reading words including package, mirage, and message. They practice this skill in context by reading sentences such as “The travelers carried luggage to the cottage” and in the decodable text “The Voyage.”

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

The materials include modeling of fluent reading in the online lessons. Each lesson includes a “Passage Fluency” activity after explicit instruction and practice with new skills. During the “Passage Fluency” routine, the educator first models fluent reading before students reread the passage through choral reading, partner reading, and independent reading. In Skill Set 30, lesson 204, after explicit instruction on the Q-effect, students practice decoding target words including quad, aqua, equal, quarter, quarrel, and quasi, before applying the phonics pattern in connected text. Educators are directed to first model fluent reading of “The Kickball Game” while students listen, providing an accurate demonstration of rate, phrasing, and expression. Students then participate in a choral reading before transitioning to independent reading with educator support as needed.


Additionally, in Skill Set 28, lesson 194, following explicit instruction on the vowel-r spelling pattern (our as /or/), students practice reading target words in isolation, including four, court, mourn, your, source, and pour, before reading connected text. During the “Passage Fluency” activity, educators first model fluent reading of “The Long Game” while students listen, demonstrating accurate word reading, appropriate pacing, and expressive phrasing. Students then engage in a choral reading before reading the passage independently with educator support as needed. This instructional routine provides repeated opportunities for students to hear, practice, and apply fluent reading with appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.

The materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with lists, sentences, and passages. Every lesson includes the “Word and Sentence Fluency” and “Passage Fluency” sections. These sections consist of a short list of words based on the skill taught in the lesson, a sentence containing several words that correspond with the skill taught, and a short passage with a collection of words with the skill taught for students to practice. For example, in Skill Set 22, lesson 149, following explicit instruction on digraph blends, students practice reading word lists containing the target phonics pattern, including shrink, thrive, thrust, shred, shrill, and throat. Students then read a connected sentence: “Thron gave a shrill shriek when the shrub hurt his arm” before applying the skill during repeated readings of the decodable passage “Three Shrimp.”


Additionally, in Skill Set 23, lesson 161, after explicit instruction on the vowel pattern -oy, students read word lists containing the target pattern, including boy, coy, joy, soy, toy, and ploy, before reading a connected sentence, “Roy and Boyd take turns to play with the toy.” Students then apply the phonics skill while reading the decodable passage “Bringing Joy” through guided and independent repeated readings. This sequence provides systematic practice with word lists, phrases, and sentences, and connected text to support the development of fluent and accurate reading.

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.

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, in Skill Set 27, lesson 188, students apply vowel-r spelling patterns while reading a connected narrative text, “Face Your Fear,” that supports fluent decoding of multisyllabic words within story context. In Skill Set 31, lesson 212, students read an informational passage, “What Is a Career?”, which requires application of decoding and vocabulary knowledge in expository structure. These texts provide opportunities for students to build fluency across varied genres while maintaining alignment to explicit phonics instruction and morphology development.

Evaluation for 6.1d
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.

The grade 4 materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity through decodable passages that increase lexical, syntactic, and conceptual demands while remaining aligned to the targeted phonics skill. For example, in Skill Set 31, lesson 216, students read “Bailey, the Musician,” which incorporates Greek-derived words including chronicle, orchestra, chorus, character, and technical; discipline-specific arts vocabulary; and longer, more complex sentence structures. Students apply the alternate pronunciation of ch while reading an extended narrative that increases lexical complexity and supports fluent reading of grade-level text.

Additionally, in Skill Set 32, lesson 220, students read “The Geology Club,” an informational science text featuring domain-specific vocabulary such as geology, geode, geometric, crystals, pressure, meteor, and eon. The passage combines explanatory text structures with multisyllabic academic vocabulary, allowing students to apply the targeted reversed vowel pattern while developing fluency with more conceptually rigorous grade-level informational text.

Evaluation for 6.1e
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

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.