Pennsylvania Admins Are Closing the Opportunity Gap With a Structured Literacy Program

By combining data-driven instruction with research-backed strategies, Pennsylvania administrators are empowering teachers and helping students build stronger reading foundations—ensuring all learners have the support they need to thrive.

Lexia® Core5® Reading is a program grounded in evidence-based instruction. Aligned with the requirements of Act 135, which mandates high-quality instructional materials aligned with scientific reading research, Core5 gives educators timely performance data to better support every student—without increasing teachers’ workloads.

During the 2023–2024 school year, Core5 demonstrated remarkable success across Pennsylvania. Among nearly 30,000 students meeting usage goals, the percentage of elementary students reading at or above grade level more than doubled—from 33% to 77%. Simultaneously, the number of students reading below grade level dropped dramatically from 67% to just 23%. These results highlight Core5’s impact on accelerating literacy growth and closing opportunity gaps for diverse student populations, including English Learners and economically disadvantaged students.

Educators find Core5 pairs well with the strategies taught in Lexia® LETRS® Professional Learning, a Chapter 49-approved professional learning solution that gives teachers practical tools to implement Structured Literacy instruction with confidence and consistency. 

Pennsylvania educators praise Core5 for its individualized learning paths, printable resources, and real-time progress tracking, making it easier to target instruction, address diverse learning needs, and motivate students to achieve their literacy goals.