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Written by Kate V. Crist and Dr. Ali Wilson  This week we are thrilled to launch a pilot implementation project with schools in the Pacific Northwest! Our focus? Bringing fluency routines to older students through a research-based approach we call the Tight 10. Designed for use across core content areas, the Tight 10 is a structured, 10 minute routine aimed at improving oral reading fluency as a means to deepen comprehension of complex texts. Oral reading fluency is how students sound when reading grade-level text aloud, demonstrating speed  (reading at an appropriate pace), accuracy (recognizing words automatically), and prosody (reading with proper expression). But more than that - it also gives us important information about what they do when they read silently, which is how adolescents spend the majority of their time reading. This is one reason attending to fluency is so important in the upper grades - it’s the highest leverage way secondary teachers can support students to develop strong reading skills.  Before we dig into the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of the Tight 10, let’s keep talking about why fluency is so important for older graders.  Reading Fluency is a Literacy Accelerator Reading fluency is often overlooked in middle and high school, despite being a key factor in reading comprehension. As Liben & Liben (2022) explain:  "Fluency is the most visceral element of reading instruction. Students can hear and feel it when they’re improving. So can their teachers and families. This provides an element of intrinsic motivation to undertake fluency work."  Yet research shows that nearly 80% of adolescents struggle with fluency, and explicit fluency instruction is rare in secondary classrooms. If more of us working in middle and high schools used fluency routines, they would become a powerful accelerator for adolescent reading skills.  Using fluency routines regularly helps to: Support comprehension of increasingly complex texts in the secondary grades Accelerate and extend literacy development for diverse learners Build student confidence in reading ability and help reinforce a student’s positive literacy identity Support secondary teachers to build foundational reading skills in a manageable and sustainable way without intensive training or knowledge With clear routines, fluency work can evolve to include advanced skills like morphology, syntax, and decoding complex multisyllabic words.   A Research-Based Protocol: Tight 10 The Tight 10 is a practical, research-based protocol that requires just 10 minutes,  three times a week. It empowers teachers to integrate fluency practice without requiring extensive training and help students build fluency, boosting their overall reading outcomes. The design of the fluency work in the Tight 10 is based on current research, including:  Use High-Quality Texts Across Topics : Choosing grade level texts with that demonstrate different levels of complexity Include multiple genres to build fluency, knowledge, and stamina Provide Strong Fluency Models:  Use teacher read-alouds or fluent peer models to demonstrate fluency. Highlight elements like prosody and syntax, allowing students to process and discuss what they observe Offer Purposeful Practice Opportunities and Provide Opportunities for Feedback : Center practice around  meaningful comprehension activities, like summarizing or answering questions. Listen and provide actionable feedback to support students’ prosody and accuracy Connect Fluency to Meaning-Making : Ensure fluency exercises support comprehension by including vocabulary and sentence/passage analysis. Leveraging this research, we have designed a fluency protocol that centers grade-level, content-area texts, evidence-based fluency routines, and text-dependent vocabulary and comprehension tasks. Ideally, the Tight 10 can be used by content area teachers across a single school so that students are getting the benefit of 30+ minutes of fluency practice in a single day (a good dosage for older students).  A lesson plan for a week of using the Tight 10 in an ELA class reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth  would look like the following: A Tight 10 lesson plan using Shakespeare's MacBeth Structure of the Pilot Implementation Project To enable successful adoption, we’ve structured the Tight 10 rollout into 4-6 week cycles, gradually introducing fluency routines and layering in comprehension, vocabulary, and multisyllabic word reading tasks. Here’s a look at the implementation process: Cycle A Introduce Fluency Routines Cycle B Fluency + Comprehension Tasks Cycle C Fluency + Vocabulary and Morphology Cycle D Fluency + Syllabication Teachers will receive professional learning, classroom resources, and strategic support throughout the process. We will also ask teachers to gather evidence of implementation such as student work, recordings of students reading, and reflective notes on the implementation process. This evidence will be utilized to refine and enhance the Tight 10 based on real-world implementation. By the end of the 2024/2025 school year, we’ll have a fully developed framework ready for broader use. Please stay tuned for updates! (Update now available here ! ) Want to Start a Fluency Routine Tomorrow? If you want more on reading fluency for middle and high school students or you want to start implementing a reading fluency routine right now, check out the blog post, You Want Me to Add Fluency ?  and our Tight10 Starter Pack here . Research Referenced to Inform this Article Casey, L. B., & Wright, L. H. (2022). Examining reading fluency and comprehension in middle school students with reading difficulties: Evidence from a cross-sectional study. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 40(3), 255-269. https://doi.org/10.1177/07342829211057809 Denton, C. A., Wexler, J., Vaughn, S., & Bryan, D. (2008). Intervention provided to linguistically diverse middle school students with severe reading difficulties. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 23(2), 79–89. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ790878 . Heistad, D. (2008). The effects of Read Naturally on fluency and reading comprehension: A supplemental service intervention (four-school study) [Unpublished manuscript]. https://www.readnaturally.com/userfiles/ckfiles/files/heistad-study_4schools.pdf . Kim, J. S., Hemphill, L., Troyer, M., Thomson, J. M., Jones, S. M., LaRusso, M. D., & Donovan, S. (2017). Engaging struggling adolescent readers to improve reading skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 52(3), 357–382. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1146095 . Liben & Liben, 2022. Improving Foundation Reading for Older Readers: A Problem of Practice. Manset-Williamson, G., & Nelson, J. M. (2005). Balanced, strategic reading instruction for upper elementary and middle school students with reading disabilities: A comparative study of two approaches. Learning Disability Quarterly, 28(1), 59–74. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ710417 . Reed, D. K., Aloe, A. M., Reeger, A. J., & Folsom, J. S. (2019). Defining summer gain among elementary students with or at-risk for reading disabilities. Exceptional Children, 85(4), 413–431. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1219248 . Sprague, K., Zaller, C., Kite, A., & Hussar, K. (2012). Springfield-Chicopee School Districts Striving Readers (SR) program. Final report years 1–5: Evaluation of implementation and impact. The Education Alliance at Brown University. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED600926 . Toste, J. R., Capin, P., Williams, K. J., Cho, E., & Vaughn, S. (2019). Replication of an experimental study investigating the efficacy of a multisyllabic word reading intervention with and without motivational beliefs training for struggling readers. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 52(1), 45–58. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1199704 . Vaughn, S., Solís, M., Miciak, J., Taylor, W. P., & Fletcher, J. M. (2016). Effects from a randomized control trial comparing researcher and school-implemented treatments with fourth graders with significant reading difficulties. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 9(sup1), 23– 44. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1115339 . Wanzek, J., Petscher, Y., Al Otaiba, S., Rivas, B. K., Jones, F. G., Kent, S. C., Schatschneider, C., & Mehta, P. (2017). Effects of a yearlong supplemental reading intervention for students with reading difficulties in fourth grade. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(8), 1103–1119. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1160638 . Zimmermann, L. M., Reed, D. K., & Aloe, A. M. (2021). A meta-analysis of non-repetitive reading fluency interventions for students with reading difficulties. Remedial and Special Education, 42(2), 78– 93. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1287974 .

By Dr. Ali Wilson and Kate Crist  Just a few weeks into piloting the Tight10 in middle and high schools we are seeing momentum build. Teachers are telling us that this small, structured routine is delivering something they’ve been craving: a coherent, Tier 1-aligned tool that works   to accelerate adolescent students’ reading skills. (If you missed our first post about the launch of this pilot, check it out here .) The Tight10 is designed to connect research to practice in an effort to build coherence, the “secret sauce in a high quality education” ( TNTP’s Instructional Coherence, 2023 ). The tool’s design leverages the growing evidence base indicating “trajectory-changing schools ensure that all pieces of the school’s instructional program - curriculum, materials, interventions and assessments - work together to advance the same set of grade-level expectations” ( TNTP’s Opportunity Makers, 2024 ). This is precisely what the Tight10 does. It is a fluency routine that provides a coherent entry point into grade-level complex texts and accelerates that learning for students who need it most – all within 30 minutes a week . It’s fast. It’s focused. And most importantly, it’s fueling meaningful progress in our participating pilot schools. Small Shifts Make a Big Impact  During Cycle A of the Tight10 pilot, teachers explored the tool in its simplest form: a 10-minute oral reading fluency routine delivered three times a week using grade-level, content-rich texts. What we heard back was both encouraging and inspiring. At our first debrief and reflection session, pilot teachers told us: “It feels really great to have something that isn’t intricate phonics—but still supports readers. I can coach it. Teachers can do it. Finally, something we can do.” “I already want to do a PD with my whole school next year.” “My student with a kindergarten-level reading ability just read a course text—and loved it. It was a huge confidence boost.” “Students genuinely enjoy the routines.” In this feedback, we see three powerful impacts of the Tight10: 1) T eachers find the approach reasonable, 2) Students enjoy using the routine, and 3) The routine is giving students reliable access to course content. These are promising wins at the pilot’s launch. Teachers also reported that students who have historically struggled to read out loud fluently have improved. Through the repetition and modeling built into the Tight10, these students have stronger decoding, increased enunciation, and greater engagement. And, encouraging for the pilot of an unfamiliar routine, many   teachers reported they could complete the routine in just ten minutes. The Tight10 is Creating Coherence in Action In TNTP’s study on instructional coherence, one of the biggest takeaways was that when students encounter consistent instructional practices across classrooms , they experience stronger gains. The Tight10 is designed exactly for that kind of system-wide integration; this quick routine is designed to be repeated across multiple content areas that use complex text.  In our pilot, the Tight10 is being implemented in ELA, science, and social studies classrooms in various school buildings (and even a math classroom!). In each setting, the routine is providing coherence across content areas to builds familiarity, reinforce foundational skills, and connect directly to content learning. As one teacher in this Tight10 pilot put it: “It’s so doable. The instructions are clear, the detail is concrete, and it never goes over 10 minutes. I didn’t even need PD to get started.” Culture Builders: Confidence and Kindness Teachers in the pilot also noticed something less measurable but equally vital: classroom culture shifted . As one teacher reported, "Students have been so great at being kind and supportive reading partners. ” Teachers across the pilot reported student participation increased over the course of the cycle. One student even called the experience “so good” after the first week!  And, for teachers, they appreciate the opportunity to informally inventory their students’ reading skills: “If nothing else, I get to hear my kids read. And that’s everything.” What’s Next: Building on the Foundation Of course, not all parts of this pilot have been smooth. Some teachers in the pilot have struggled selecting a text for students to engage with repeatedly. Others have expressed concerns about uneven skill development for students at this early stage. While challenging for students and teachers, we see these struggles as points for curiosity and to lean-in on student-centered design. They have us considering how to support text selection in new ways - how might we engage students in text selection? Could we try providing a menu of texts for teachers or students to choose from? They also have us wondering about data collection in the pilot - what easy-to-implement assessments might teachers use to gauge student progress? Might student reading improve over a longer horizon? These are design questions that will support work not only in this pilot, but for the tool moving forward.  Excitingly, the pilot has also prompted teachers to ask questions focused on other points of Tight10 implementation. Such “next-level questions” include: When and how could this be integrated across Tiers, such as in small-group or intervention? How should the Tight10 evolve in higher grade levels? What does the Tight10 look like as it scales across content areas in my school? All of these questions are critical for driving a strong implementation process. They help us ground the design and use of the Tight10 in a coherent system at the secondary level that builds for equity, and focuses on high-leverage instructional practices. As we move into Cycle B, teachers will begin layering in text-dependent comprehension tasks —connecting fluency practice more explicitly to meaning-making. We can’t wait to keep learning alongside our pilot partners. Stay tuned for updates on how Cycle B goes! Ready to Try the Tight10? If you are interested in trying the Tight10 in your school or district, reach out to info@education4500.com . We would be delighted to help you start your own implementation process for this promising tool. You can also find our Tight10 Starter Pack here . If you’re curious about fluency practice in secondary school more broadly, check out Kate’s post  You Want Me to Add Fluency ?!  Sources Cited: The New Teacher Project. (2024). The Opportunity Makers: How a Diverse Group of Public Schools Helps Students Catch Up—and How Far More Can.  Available at https://tntp.org/publication/the-opportunity-makers/   The New Teacher Project. (2023).  Instructional Coherence: A Key to High-Quality Learning Acceleration for All Students.  Available at https://tntp.org/tool/instructional-coherence-a-key-to-high-quality-learning-acceleration-for-all/

Learning from Scholarship, Connecting to Practice September, 2025 New for the 2025-2026 school year: Education 4500’s Scholarship Series, reflecting what middle and high school educators I work with are currently using to frame and focus their literacy work. I hope you find the resources helpful for yourself and your colleagues. If you use the resources, find them insightful, or want to give feedback on them please email info@education4500.com . LEARN  Voyager Sopris Learning. (2025, June 19). Struggling adolescent readers: Planning for successful implementation of MTSS [Podcast episode]. EDVIEW360. Find recording and transcript at:  https://www.voyagersopris.com/podcasts/2025/planning-for-successful-implementation-of-mtss   Summary:  This episode of the EDVIEW 360 podcast features Michelle Elia, who currently works preparing pre-service teachers at Marietta college and was formerly the literacy lead at the Ohio Department of Education. Elia and host Pam Austin explore why reading struggles persist into middle and high school and what those schools can do to better support adolescent literacy. This includes a deep dive into critical components of secondary school MTSS, evidence-based instructional strategies that should be in every classroom, and considerations that are important for adolescent learners.  Read This If:  You are a systems leader in a middle or high school with students who need literacy support (hint: you likely are).  Guiding Questions PROCESS: Guiding Questions for Understanding. Use to process learning individually or in small groups.  What misconceptions about adolescent literacy does Elia present? What does Elia offer to counter each of these misconceptions?  Elia details three key elements of a secondary school’s MTSS framework: strong core instruction, providing interventions, and assessment. How are these different  in a secondary school context from an elementary school context? Provide two examples from Elia that support the following statement: “All teachers can use literacy to support content area learning.” Name and describe at least three elements of strong adolescent literacy interventions, as defined by Elia.  According to Elia, what critical role do school administrators plan in supporting adolescent literacy?  DISCUSS: Guiding Questions for Discussion. Use to deepen learning with colleagues.   In a small group - share the misconceptions you have or had about adolescent literacy. Discuss how these misconceptions have shaped your practice (instruction, policy, etc) in the past. Name the challenges Elia identifies as unique to adolescent literacy. To what extent do you see these challenges in your own students and school(s)? How does the current MTSS at your school(s) reflect the needs Elias identifies around core instruction, interventions, assessments, and team work?  Consider the MTSS framework Elia provides in this podcast. Discuss as a group: What are the 2-3 key elements of a secondary literacy MTSS that would be most relevant to our school(s)? How might we change our current MTSS to better reflect these 2-3 key elements? Consider the changes named. For each: What is changing and what is the outcome goal? Who is involved in the change? Who is responsible for leading the change? What is the timeline for change? If you would like a PDF-copy of this resource, you can find that here .