IXL English Language Arts (IXL ELA): Kindergarten

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).

IXL English Language Arts (ELA) includes educator-facing program information that clearly explains the purpose of the supplemental program. The “Implementation Strategies” page states that IXL ELA is designed to provide daily instruction, additional practice, targeted remediation, personalized learning, standards preparation, and diagnostic-driven acceleration. The implementation guide further explains that “IXL is designed to be used daily to reinforce your lessons and help students retain the instruction.” The materials provide guidance for using IXL ELA to reinforce core instruction, provide skill-specific practice, monitor progress, and support learners at varying proficiency levels.


Additional resources further clarify the program’s purpose and instructional design. The blog post “What Is IXL?” describes IXL ELA as a personalized learning platform that supports a wide range of learners and automatically adjusts difficulty levels to provide an appropriate level of challenge. The “Implementation Strategies” page also highlights program features such as curriculum resources, analytics, diagnostics, personalized guidance, the Achievement Summary, and the Response to Intervention (RTI) tab.

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.

IXL ELA provides clear implementation guidance that shows educators how to use the supplemental program to support and extend tier-one reading and language arts instruction. Across K–5, the materials include implementation guides, instructional tools, and alignment resources that help educators integrate IXL ELA with an existing core reading and language arts program. The Supporting Core Curriculum guide directs educators to review lesson objectives, select supporting IXL skills aligned to current instruction, and use those skills during whole-class, small-group, independent, or homework practice. The materials also provide guidance for using performance data and reports to identify student needs and plan targeted intervention or reteaching aligned to the TEKS.

Additional resources, including the Personalized Practice guide, Recommendations Wall, Group Jam collaborative activities, aligned skill plans, and whole-class modeling, support individualized and group practice connected to current instruction. The Supporting Core Curriculum guide provides a three-step implementation process in which educators select aligned skills to support lesson objectives, assign adaptive practice to deepen understanding, and use the Skill Score Chart and Trouble Spots report to check for understanding and form reteaching groups. The materials also provide curriculum-aligned skill plans that map units and lessons to corresponding IXL skills in comprehension, foundational skills, language, grammar, and writing, enabling educators to reinforce current instruction and provide targeted practice that mirrors grade-level expectations.

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 materials include a scope and sequence that outlines the foundational reading skills taught across K–5, the associated student expectations, and the rationale guiding the progression of skills. The “IXL Reading Foundations Scope and Sequence” details grade-by-grade development in word recognition, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, morphology, vocabulary, and comprehension. It shows how instruction progresses from early skills such as syllable segmentation and letter-sound associations to more advanced decoding, encoding, and language comprehension. The scope and sequence is grounded in the science of reading and organized according to Scarborough’s Reading Rope, with skills presented through explicit instruction, scaffolding, and spaced practice.

Supporting resources, including the TEKS plan, Learn to Read skill plan, and textbook-aligned skill plans, identify grade-level expectations, aligned student practice, and targeted supports connected to core instruction. Additional educator guides and learning plans organize instruction into skills, modules, and weekly progressions with linked activities, TEKS connections, and descriptions of targeted student skills. For example, the Learn to Read skill plan provides a day-by-day sequence that progresses from phonological and phonemic awareness to phonics, word analysis, and sight-word development. It also identifies the corresponding grade-level TEKS addressed in each lesson.

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.

The materials include guidance on pacing, frequency, and skill progression for implementation of the supplemental program. IXL ELA provides scope and sequence documents, TEKS-aligned skill plans, and educator resources that outline how foundational reading skills develop across K–5. The materials organize instruction according to Scarborough’s Reading Rope and provide a sequence that progresses from phonological and phonemic awareness to phonics, word analysis, morphology, and advanced decoding and spelling.


Implementation guidance within the IXL skill plans and IXL Effect research resources provides recommended usage expectations such as engaging with two to three skills per week, completing 10–15 questions per skill, and working toward proficiency (SmartScore 80). Publisher guidance further explains that students typically require 15–20 minutes to reach proficiency in a single skill and recommends approximately 30–40 minutes of IXL practice per week to achieve the goal of mastering two skills each week. Sequential pacing tools, including the Weekly Boost and Learn to Read skill plans, provide day-by-day and week-by-week progressions aligned to the TEKS. For example, the Learn to Read skill plan organizes instruction into a daily sequence moving from phonological awareness to phonics, sight-word development, and word analysis, with each lesson linked to aligned activities and standards. Additional curriculum-aligned skill plans organize instruction into skills, modules, and weekly progressions and map lessons and units to corresponding IXL skills to support implementation alongside existing reading instruction. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” provides suggested administration times for benchmark assessments, including 90 minutes for the Reading Benchmark and 120 minutes for the combined Reading and Writing & Language Benchmark, while noting that assessments may be administered in smaller sessions to support student stamina.

Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.

The materials provide implementation guidance that supports educators in using the program as designed across K–5. Resources such as the implementation guides, Getting Started materials, and the Teacher Toolkit provide guidance for identifying targeted skills, assigning practice, grouping students, administering assessments, and using data reports for progress monitoring and intervention planning. For example, the IXL for Daily Instruction Implementation Guide directs educators to identify TEKS-aligned skills that match lesson objectives by reviewing grade-level skill pages or standards-aligned skill plans and then assign those skills for whole-group, small-group, independent practice, or homework.

Onboarding and management resources guide educators in setting up class rosters, generating student logins, assigning skills and assessments, engaging families, and interpreting student data. The implementation guides also explain how to introduce skills during whole-group instruction, release students to adaptive practice, and support mastery through SmartScore goals. Data-use guidance shows educators how to use IXL Analytics, including the Skill Analysis report, to monitor completion and performance, identify skills that require additional support, and form groups for reteaching or intervention.

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

The materials provide family supports in both English and Spanish that help caregivers understand the program and support their child’s progress. Family handouts, guides, and tip sheets explain how families can sign in, access personalized skill recommendations, and monitor learning through tools such as IXL Analytics, progress reports, and the Real-Time Diagnostic. The materials encourage families to review recommended skills, track growth, celebrate accomplishments, and use diagnostic data to identify areas of strength and need.

Spanish-language materials, including family guides, videos with Spanish subtitles, and resources highlighted in the “How IXL Supports Spanish-Speaking Learners” overview, provide parallel guidance for Spanish-speaking families. Additional bilingual tip sheets provide suggestions for supporting reading practice at home and reinforcing learning during the summer.

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 materials include assessments within the IXL Assessment Suite that align with the supplemental program’s purpose of providing targeted remediation, acceleration, and ongoing practice. The suite includes diagnostic, formative, and summative measures, including the LevelUp Diagnostic, Flex Diagnostic, quizzes, common assessments, checkpoints, performance tasks, Group Jams, and Takeoff tests. The LevelUp Diagnostic identifies students’ literacy strengths and learning needs and is available in Real-Time and Benchmark Administration modes. Assessment results generate personalized action plans, skill recommendations, and instructional next steps.

Educators can also create customizable assessments that provide instant, auto-graded feedback for checking understanding or using as exit tickets. Checkpoints measure proficiency across skills and standards throughout the year. Guidance within IXL ELA resources and blog posts explains how to use diagnostic data to assign targeted fluency practice and skill-based instruction. For example, the “How IXL Strengthens Reading Fluency” resource describes using Real-Time Diagnostic results to assign skills such as “Identify the main idea,” “Use context to confirm or self-correct,” and “Read multisyllabic words.” The “Meet the Suite” overview also includes examples of recommending foundational decoding skills for students who need additional phonics support and advanced comprehension tasks for students ready for acceleration.

Assessment resources also include administration and follow-up guidance. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” directs educators to review overall performance, strand-level proficiency, and at-risk indicators for reading difficulties following benchmark administration and recommends using Real-Time mode to establish ongoing progress-monitoring routines.

Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.

The materials define the assessment types included in the IXL Assessment Suite and explain the intended purpose of each. Resources such as the All-in-One Assessment Guide and the “What Assessment Offering Should I Use?” article describe diagnostic, formative, summative, interim/benchmark, and universal screening assessments and include information about their characteristics, administration guidance, recommended frequency, and related reporting tools. Diagnostic assessments, including the LevelUp Diagnostic and Flex Diagnostic, are described as tools that identify student strengths and learning needs. Formative assessments such as customizable quizzes and exit-ticket checks are described as assessments used during instruction and provide immediate, auto-graded feedback.

The materials also define the purpose of summative, interim, and universal screening assessments. Common assessments and performance tasks are described as summative assessments that measure mastery of unit or course content, while interim assessments are administered periodically to measure progress across standards and skills. Universal screening assessments are described as tools used to identify students who may require additional intervention and support. Associated reporting tools, including diagnostic reports, assessment analytics, and progress-monitoring reports, are identified within the assessment resources and support interpretation of assessment results. The materials also provide implementation guidance and associated reporting tools for each assessment type. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” references LevelUp Diagnostic Overview reports, Diagnostic Strand Analysis reports, and cut-point guides that support interpretation of benchmark results.

Evaluation for 2.1c
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because the program is student driven. Assessments are administered by the program, not an educator.

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

The instructional assessments include items that vary in levels of complexity, measuring a continuum of literacy skills that progress from foundational tasks to more advanced application. Assessment items begin with early phonological awareness skills such as identifying phonemes, isolating beginning sounds, and recognizing simple spelling patterns. They progress to decoding and encoding words, analyzing phonics patterns, and applying long-vowel teams, consonant digraphs, and inflectional endings independently. The Flex Diagnostic demonstrates this progression through an adaptive assessment experience. As shown in the Flex Diagnostic “The Student Experience” video, the assessment adjusts in real time to each learner’s performance, presenting simpler items such as blending phonemes in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words or identifying short-vowel sounds. It continues to increasingly complex items such as decoding multisyllabic words, distinguishing vowel teams, and applying suffixes such as -ed and -ing.

Across literacy domains, assessment tasks progress from recognizing sounds and letters to applying phonics knowledge in decoding, encoding, and word analysis. The “Meet the Suite” overview and assessment resources describe how to use diagnostic results to recommend foundational decoding skills for students who need additional support and more advanced comprehension and language tasks for students who demonstrate readiness for acceleration. The Flex Diagnostic adapts in real time to student performance and presents simpler or more complex items based on students’ responses. The materials explain that the diagnostic provides up-to-the-minute information about students’ knowledge and continuously updates as students answer diagnostic questions and work on recommended skills.

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

The materials provide guidance for interpreting student performance through multiple reporting tools within IXL Analytics. Reports such as the Progress and Growth, LevelUp Diagnostic Overview, Diagnostic Strand Analysis, Skill Progress Summary, and Trouble Spots display student performance across skills, standards, and assessments. The reports provide information about proficiency levels, strand-level performance, skill mastery, growth, and areas requiring additional support. The Trouble Spots report also displays the exact questions students answered incorrectly and identifies skills in which students are experiencing difficulty.

The materials also provide guidance for interpreting assessment results and determining instructional next steps. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” directs educators to review overall performance, strand-level proficiency, and at-risk indicators for reading difficulties and references cut-point guides that provide additional scoring information. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide explains that diagnostic levels correspond to grade levels and states that a score of 360 indicates that a student understands approximately 60 percent of third-grade material. Diagnostic Action Plans, assessment analytics, and progress-monitoring reports provide recommendations for skill assignments, intervention, and continued progress monitoring.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

The materials provide guidance and reporting tools that support educators in analyzing student performance trends and responding to assessment results. Reports such as Trouble Spots, Standards Proficiency, Diagnostic Results, and Student Usage display patterns in student learning, including areas of difficulty, standards mastery, common misconceptions, and practice behaviors. The reports provide information about individual and group performance and identify skills that require additional support, reteaching, or enrichment. The LevelUp Diagnostic Overview report displays overall performance and strand-level proficiency, while the Diagnostic Strand Analysis report organizes student performance by standards-based skill groups and identifies strands that require reinforcement.

The materials also include instructional resources that provide guidance for responding to assessment results. Tools such as Diagnostic Action Plans, Group Jam, Instant Review, and implementation guides include recommendations based on assessment data. These recommendations include assigning targeted practice, planning reteaching opportunities, forming small groups, and providing intervention activities. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” recommends using Diagnostic Strand Analysis data to differentiate instruction, form small groups based on specific strands, and target standards needing reinforcement. The IXL for Live Assessment Implementation Guide also recommends pulling students into small groups for remediation when multiple students demonstrate difficulty during live assessment and using Live Message to provide immediate support when students struggle or go off task. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide further recommends using personalized action plans and recommended skills to address learning gaps and monitor progress over time.

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 materials include tools that allow both educators and students to track progress and growth over time. Educator-facing dashboards, including the Progress report, Growth report, Skill Progress Summary, Standards Proficiency report, Students Quickview, and Student Usage report, provide information about class and individual performance. These reports display proficiency levels, skill mastery, average scores, monthly growth, assessment trends, and progress on diagnostic recommendations. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide explains that student work completed in IXL skills is automatically incorporated into diagnostic levels and that educators can monitor progress on action-plan skills through the Students Quickview, Student Usage report, and Live Classroom.

Students also have access to tools that allow them to monitor their own learning. The Flex Diagnostic and LevelUp Diagnostic trackers, available through the Printable Resources page, allow students to record diagnostic levels, track growth throughout the year, and monitor progress toward goals. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide also directs students to follow personalized action plans and recommended skills generated from diagnostic results and recommends answering 10–15 diagnostic questions each week to keep diagnostic levels up to date.

Evaluation for 2.2d
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because the program has a stated purpose of additional instruction and/or practice, not targeted remediation or acceleration.

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 IXL ELA materials provide educator guidance for differentiating instruction for students who have not yet reached grade-level proficiency through a comprehensive set of diagnostic and reporting tools. Educators use the Real-Time Diagnostic, Score Grid, Trouble Spots report, and Students Quickview to identify unfinished learning, monitor student performance, and pinpoint specific skills requiring additional instruction. The implementation materials explicitly direct educators to review areas where students are struggling and plan individual or small-group reteaching based on Trouble Spots data. Educators also analyze individual student responses and diagnostic recommendations to assign targeted practice that addresses each student’s instructional needs, supporting ongoing instructional decisions based on current performance.

The materials further provide practical guidance for organizing differentiated instruction through flexible grouping, personalized recommendations, and targeted skill assignments. Educators can create custom groups using diagnostic results, state assessment data, classroom performance, or intervention needs to provide instruction matched to students’ current proficiency levels. The personalized Recommendations Wall directs students to appropriately leveled skills while educators work with individuals or small groups, making differentiation manageable during classroom instruction. As students demonstrate mastery, IXL updates recommendations and provides new practice opportunities, enabling educators to continually adjust instruction and support students as they progress toward grade-level expectations.

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.

The IXL ELA materials provide educator guidance for differentiating instruction for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills through personalized recommendations, flexible grouping, and targeted skill assignments. Based on diagnostic results, classroom performance, or assessment data, educators can create custom groups of students demonstrating grade-level proficiency and assign appropriately challenging, standards-aligned skills using the Suggest This Skill feature. The implementation materials explain that personalized recommendations are hand-picked to help students continue growing and encourage educators to have students work toward proficiency on recommended skills that match their current readiness.

The materials also provide differentiated activities that extend learning beyond grade-level mastery. Personalized recommendations adjust automatically as students demonstrate proficiency, directing learners to increasingly challenging skills, including skills from higher grade levels when appropriate. For example, students who excel on a grade K standard may receive recommendations for grade 1 comprehension skills, while students demonstrating proficiency in grade-level grammar receive opportunities to “try something new” through additional recommended practice. Educators can further extend learning by assigning IXL quizzes, facilitating collaborative Group Jams, and using leveled leaderboards to maintain engagement while providing continued academic challenges. Together, these features help educators ensure that students who have mastered grade-level expectations continue progressing through appropriately rigorous learning experiences.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

IXL ELA includes educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) through the IXL for IEP Progress Monitoring Implementation Guide. The guide explains how educators can use Real-Time Diagnostic data to identify students’ present levels of performance, establish measurable goals aligned to individualized education program (IEP) objectives, and develop individualized learning plans. Materials direct educators to focus IEP goals around a student’s lowest strand(s) and the recommended skills associated with those strands and to set individualized SmartScore goals based on student readiness. The guide also recommends assigning personalized skills and using diagnostic recommendations to address identified literacy needs and monitor progress over time.

The resource “How IXL Supports Special Education” provides educator-facing guidance for adapting instruction to meet individual student needs. The materials explain how educators can assign skills above or below grade level, provide audio-supported and multisensory learning opportunities, and use adaptive learning pathways that adjust based on student performance. The Questions Log is recommended for monitoring individual student work on specific skills and identifying patterns or misconceptions that may require reteaching, while the Progress and Improvement report is used to review skill growth, identify strengths and weaknesses, and establish new instructional goals during annual IEP reviews. These resources provide program-specific guidance for delivering individualized instruction and monitoring student progress.

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.

This criterion is not applicable because IXL ELA is a student-driven program in which the platform, rather than the educator, provides direct modeling, explanations, and instructional guidance for the skills being learned.

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

This criterion is not applicable because IXL ELA is a student-driven program in which the platform, rather than the educator, provides direct modeling, explanations, and instructional guidance for the skills being learned.

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

IXL ELA provides educator guidance on recommended instructional structures through the Daily ELA Instruction Implementation Guide. The guide recommends beginning instruction in a whole-group setting before transitioning students to independent practice and providing additional support through small-group instruction as needed. For example, during a lesson, educators may introduce a skill in a whole-group setting, assign independent practice on the targeted skill, and then provide small-group instruction for students who require reteaching or additional support. The guide also includes recommendations for intervention, remediation, acceleration, station rotations, Group Jams, homework, and individualized practice.

The blog post “How IXL Supports Small-Group Instruction” provides additional guidance for organizing instruction across whole-group, small-group, and individual learning environments. The resource highlights the Skills Analysis report, which allows educators to group students according to their performance on a targeted skill and provides suggested questions to support small-group instruction. Diagnostic and analytics tools, including Skill Analysis, Trouble Spots, and real-time progress monitoring reports, provide information that educators can use to identify student needs, form instructional groups, and determine when reteaching, intervention, enrichment, or individualized support is appropriate.

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.

IXL ELA includes resources intended to support multilingual learners. The materials provide audio features, visuals, image-rich activities, vocabulary supports, sentence stems, video tutorials, skill plans, and translation features in more than 120 languages. The program also includes Spanish-language supports and Rosetta Stone learning pathways. Students can access audio and visual supports while completing literacy activities, and educators can use Group Jams and discussion activities that include sentence stems and opportunities for oral language practice.

However, the materials do not consistently provide accommodations aligned to the ELPS proficiency descriptors of beginning, intermediate, advanced, and advanced high across all instructional resources. While the guide includes recommendations for students at pre-production and beginning, intermediate, and high intermediate and advanced proficiency levels, the materials do not systematically identify accommodations within individual lessons or consistently guide educators in selecting specific supports based on ELPS proficiency levels. As a result, guidance for intentionally developing increasingly sophisticated academic language remains limited.

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.

IXL ELA includes implementation guidance to support educators working with emergent bilingual (EB) students through ELPS-aligned resources and skill plans. The materials include skill plans aligned to the ELPS and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) that identify targeted language-development skills and connect students to instructional practice. Educators can select ELPS-aligned Reading and Writing skill plans to provide students with practice that supports both language development and grade-level literacy instruction. These resources provide guidance for integrating language-development goals with academic content and for selecting skills that align to students’ language proficiency needs.

The resource “Supporting Success for Your Emergent Bilingual Students with IXL” provides implementation guidance for supporting students at different stages of English language development, including pre-production and beginning, intermediate, and high-intermediate and advanced proficiency levels. The guide recommends instructional supports aligned to students’ language-development needs such as using audio support and image-rich activities to build vocabulary and comprehension for beginning learners and using sentence stems and structured discussions during Group Jams for intermediate learners. It also encourages advanced learners to summarize concepts using academic vocabulary and engage in increasingly complex writing tasks. The materials also recommend video tutorials to model academic language, support listening development, and provide opportunities for students to practice speaking, reading, and writing using content-area vocabulary.

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.

The materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness instruction that progresses from larger units of sound to smaller phonemic units. The grade K “Reading Foundations Scope and Sequence” begins with word and syllable awareness activities, including counting, sorting, and manipulating syllables and compound words. Instruction then progresses to rhyme recognition and production before advancing to blending and segmenting onset-rime units and individual phonemes. Students engage in activities involving words, syllables, and rhyme as part of the progression from larger units of sound to individual phonemes.

The materials provide opportunities for students to apply phonological awareness skills through activities that increase in complexity over time. For example, in the “Change or Remove One Part of a Compound Word” lesson, students hear the prompt “Say ‘butterfly.’ Now say ‘butterfly’ without ‘fly.’ What is the new word?” and select the picture representing butter. In the “Choose the Picture that Rhymes with the Word” lesson, students hear the question, “Which word rhymes with fed?” and select the picture representing bed from picture choices that include bed and drop.

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).

The materials provide a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills aligned to grade K TEKS that progresses from basic phoneme identification to advanced phoneme manipulation. The sequence begins with identifying initial, medial, and final sounds and blending syllables and onset-rime units before advancing to blending and segmenting individual phonemes. Students then engage in increasingly complex phoneme manipulation activities, including substituting initial, medial, and final sounds in words.

The materials provide opportunities for students to apply phonemic awareness skills through activities that increase in complexity over time. In the “Blend Syllables Together to Make a Word” lesson, students hear the syllables /lem/ and /on/ and identify the word lemon from picture choices that include a melon, lettuce, and lemon. In “Change the Vowel Sound in a Word,” students hear the prompt “Say the word beg. Do you hear the /e/ in the middle? Now change the /e/ to /a/,” and select the picture representing bag.

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.

The materials include explicit instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills aligned to grade K TEKS through instructional videos and modeled examples. Students receive direct instruction in foundational skills such as identifying sounds, blending onset-rime, blending and segmenting phonemes, and manipulating sounds within words. Instruction progresses from basic sound awareness to more complex phoneme manipulation, with videos and modeled examples providing clear explanations and guided practice before independent application.

The materials provide explicit instruction through instructional videos, the “Learn with an Example” feature, and scaffolded practice opportunities. For example, the “Which Word Ends with the Same Sound?” prompts students to listen to the word dog and determine which word ends with the same sound. The “Key Ideas” section explains that words are made up of sounds and that some words end with the same sound, using examples such as hat and sit. The “Solution” section explains that dog and rag both end with the /g/ sound, while bun ends with /n/. Students may also view an optional instructional video that explicitly models the skill before they complete independent practice.

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.

The materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills aligned to grade K TEKS through the Learn to Read skill plan. The skill plan sequences instruction from rhyming, syllable awareness, and letter knowledge to phoneme blending, sound identification, phoneme manipulation, phonics, and decodable text. The skill plan requires students to apply previously learned skills as it introduces new concepts. This sequence provides ongoing opportunities to build on earlier learning rather than teaching skills in isolation.

The materials provide cumulative practice through connected lessons and review opportunities. For example, students first develop syllable awareness and rhyming before progressing to blending phonemes, identifying beginning and ending sounds, and manipulating phonemes. Later lessons continue to apply these foundational skills as students learn short-vowel patterns, letter-sound correspondences, and early decoding. Throughout the sequence, students receive opportunities to revisit previously introduced concepts while applying them in increasingly complex reading tasks.

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

The materials ensure that student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly introduced through the Learn to Read skill plan. The instructional sequence begins with rhyming, syllables, and letter knowledge before progressing to phoneme blending, sound identification, phoneme manipulation, and phonics. Students encounter more advanced practice only after prerequisite skills have been introduced through the instructional sequence.

The materials require students to apply skills only after explicit instruction. For example, in the lesson “Which Word Ends with the Same Sound?” students first complete the “Learn with an Example” activity, which explains that words are made up of sounds and models identifying words with the same ending sound before students complete independent practice. Students may also access an instructional video before attempting the activity.

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 to introduce sound–spelling patterns aligned to grade K TEKS. Instruction begins with letter identification and letter-sound correspondences before progressing to short-vowel CVC words. As students build alphabetic knowledge, instruction advances to consonant blends and digraphs. This sequence moves from basic letter-sound correspondences to increasingly complex sound–spelling patterns appropriate for beginning readers.

The materials provide a clearly sequenced progression of sound–spelling instruction from simple to more complex patterns. Students identify letters and match consonant and vowel sounds to letters before applying those correspondences to read and spell short-vowel CVC words. Instruction then progresses to consonant blends and digraphs while continuing to apply previously introduced letter-sound relationships in words, sentences, and decodable texts.

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 (direct) instruction in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns aligned to grade K TEKS. Instruction combines “Key Ideas,” “Learn with an Example” activities, instructional videos, and guided practice to explicitly teach students how letters represent sounds and how to blend those sounds to read words. For example, in the grade K lesson “Put the Sounds in Order,” the “Key Idea” section explains that words are made up of sounds that occur in a specific order and that letters represent those sounds when reading and writing. The “Learn with an Example” activity models how to sequence phonemes to build a word before students independently arrange sounds to decode words. The “Solution” section reinforces the correct sound order and corresponding graphemes, while an accompanying instructional video provides additional direct instruction and modeling prior to independent practice.

The materials also include explicit instruction in encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. In the grade K lesson “Spell the Short Vowel Word,” the “Key Idea” section explains that when a vowel comes before a consonant, it usually makes its short-vowel sound. The “Learn with an Example” activity models how to identify each phoneme in a spoken word and match each sound to the appropriate grapheme before students independently spell words. The “Solution” section reinforces the sound–spelling relationship by explaining how the beginning, middle, and ending sounds are represented by the letters in the completed word. Instructional videos, guided examples, immediate corrective feedback, and independent practice provide explicit support for developing foundational spelling skills aligned to grade K TEKS.

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.

Students engage in systematic practice opportunities that build from identifying and applying individual letter-sound correspondences to decoding and encoding complete vowel-consonant (VC), CVC, and consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant (CCVC) words. Instruction integrates previously taught sound–spelling patterns with newly introduced concepts, allowing students to repeatedly apply foundational decoding and encoding skills through structured activities and connected practice.

The materials provide cumulative practice opportunities that increase in complexity as students develop sound–spelling knowledge. For example, students initially complete words by identifying missing letters in short-vowel words before progressing to spelling entire VC and CVC words. Students also apply both newly introduced and previously taught sound–spelling patterns while decoding words in isolation and reading decodable texts and connected reading activities. These repeated opportunities to decode and encode words using familiar and newly learned patterns support the development of automaticity and mastery.

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

The materials ensure that students practice only sound–spelling patterns that explicit instruction introduces. Instructional videos model targeted sound–spelling patterns before students begin guided and independent practice. Students first learn foundational short-vowel and CVC patterns and then apply those patterns in reading and spelling activities. Each practice activity focuses on current or previously taught sound–spelling patterns and does not require students to apply untaught phonics concepts.

The materials provide opportunities for students to practice newly taught sound–spelling patterns after explicit instruction and modeling. For example, students receive instruction on short-vowel words and consonant blends before spelling or completing words with those patterns. Students apply sound–spelling knowledge through encoding tasks, word-completion activities, decodable text reading, and educator-assigned skills reviews. These activities reinforce previously taught patterns through repeated application without introducing untaught sound–spelling patterns.

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 explicit, systematic instruction in high-frequency and irregular words to support automatic word recognition and reading fluency. Instruction begins with small, carefully sequenced sets of five high-frequency words introduced across 17 lessons. Students learn words through dedicated “Read Sight Words” lessons that include audio support, explicit modeling, and repeated oral practice before progressing to cumulative review lessons. Additional activities require students to identify matching words, complete sentences using appropriate high-frequency words, and spell target words. Throughout instruction, students receive immediate corrective feedback and repeated opportunities to revisit previously taught words.

The materials also provide instructional support explaining the purpose of high-frequency word instruction and its connection to fluent reading. Embedded instructional videos explicitly teach students how to read each target word before independent practice. IXL ELA explains that while many high-frequency words follow regular spelling patterns, some contain irregular patterns that require additional instruction. Students are taught to attend to known letter-sound correspondences while learning the irregular portions of words, supporting orthographic mapping rather than rote memorization. Read-along activities with synchronized audio further reinforce automatic recognition of high-frequency words within connected text.

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 provide explicit, direct instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words through Kindergarten Lesson X.2 “Read Sight Words Set 1: Ate, He, Of, That, Was” and the subsequent sight-word lessons through X.15. The “Key Idea” explicitly teaches students that “sight words are words you should know. They are used a lot,” and it explains, “Sight words don’t always follow spelling rules. So, you can’t always sound them out.” Students then practice decoding individual high-frequency words by listening to a dictated word and selecting the correct response. For example, during the “Learn with an Example” activity, students identify the dictated word of, and the “Solution” confirms, “The word is of.” The accompanying “Read Sight Words Set 1” instructional video models how to decode high-frequency words and explicitly demonstrates irregular spellings, explaining, “To learn words by sight, look at the letters in the word and try to sound them out,” and using could to illustrate that “You can learn that /ou/ makes the /oo/ sound in this word.” The lesson concludes, “The more you practice, the more words you will know without sounding them out.”

The materials provide explicit instruction in encoding high-frequency words. Lesson X.17 “Spell the Sight Word” prompts students, “Click on the button. Spell the word that you hear.” Students hear the dictated high-frequency word at and use the provided letter tiles (t, a, u) to construct the word, requiring them to select only the letters needed to spell the target word. The “Key Idea” explains, “Sight words are words you should know. They are used a lot.” It distinguishes regularly spelled sight words (no, I, and, a, for, is) from words that “don’t always follow spelling rules. So, you can’t always sound them out,” using what, of, one, and come as examples. The “Solution” confirms, “The word is at,” and reinforces meaning with the sentence, “Bob is at home.” When a student enters an incorrect response, the program immediately displays the correct spelling, highlights the student’s response for comparison, and returns the student to the practice activity to spell the word again while continuing to display the “Key Idea.”

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.

Students practice high-frequency words through successive lessons in the Kindergarten Learn to Read skill plan, beginning with “Read Sight Words” sets 1–10. After completing several individual sets, students practice previously introduced words in cumulative review activities including “Read Sight Words: Review Sets 1, 2, 3,” “Read Sight Words: Review Sets 4, 5, 6,” “Read Sight Words: Review Sets 7, 8, 9, 10,” and “Read Sight Words: Review Sets 1–10.” Later lessons ask students to apply those same words in “Complete the Sentence with the Correct Sight Word” before spelling them in “Spell the Sight Word,” continuing practice with previously introduced words while adding new high-frequency words.

Students first practice high-frequency words in isolation before reading them in connected text. After completing the sight-word lessons, students read decodable selections, including “Read Short a Stories,” “Read Short o Stories,” “Read Short i Stories,” “Read Short u Stories,” and “Read Short e Stories.” Later activities extend that practice into independent reading selections such as “Read Realistic Fiction,” “Read Animal Fantasy,” “Read About Animals,” and “Read About Places.”

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

Students first learn each high-frequency word through explicit instruction before practicing it independently. In the Kindergarten Learn to Read skill plan, lessons such as “Read Sight Words Set 1: Ate, He, Of, That, Was” introduce and model the target words before students complete the corresponding practice activity. Students then practice only those previously introduced words during activities such as “Read Sight Words Set 1.”

As instruction progresses, students revisit previously taught words through cumulative review activities rather than introducing new words. For example, lesson X.5 “Read Sight Words: Review Sets 1, 2, 3” requires students to identify words from earlier sight-word sets, including the dictated word or, and “Read Sight Words: Review Sets 7–10” extends that review to additional previously taught words. Students also apply those same high-frequency words while reading connected text in lesson Y.5 “Read Short u Stories,” in which the decodable passage includes familiar words such as is, my, I, we, and the before students answer comprehension questions.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list syllable types or syllable division principles.

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.

This guidance statement is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list decoding and encoding one-syllable or multisyllabic words.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words.

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

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list syllable types or syllable division principles.

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 guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list morphemes.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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