Are you evaluating phonics programs to meet Texas House Bill 3 requirements? Learning List has reviewed the 95 Percent Group’s 95 Phonics Core Program, a K-5 phonics and word study curriculum.
95 Phonics Core Program is a supplemental reading program grounded in the Science of Reading. The program provides systematic and explicit whole-class, Tier 1 phonics instruction based on a strategic progression of skills. Learning List reviewers did not find evidence of three-cueing in the instruction.
Instruction is organized in units comprised of several consistently formatted lessons. Lessons typically span five days at between 20-30 minutes per day, depending on the grade level. Units and lessons within and across grade levels are sequenced to present skills in a logical, research-based progression. The material is provided in English.
95 Phonics is provided in a kit that includes a print teacher’s edition and student workbooks, as well as printable digital resources. The primary student resource is the consumable workbook. Exercises in the workbook correlate to each portion of the lessons. Student activities are generally at the foundational levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The teacher’s edition is the primary teacher resource. Lessons are heavily scripted and annotated to help the teacher teach the content as intended.
Learning list has reviewed the material’s alignment to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for phonics only. Learning List’s alignment percentages differ from the alignment scores determined by the Texas Education Agency. However, given that few student expectations (SE) address phonics but each SE has many breakouts, the number of breakouts to which the material is aligned is a more accurate reflection of the material’s alignment to the TEKS than the alignment percentage. While the material has been correlated to the TEKS, the teacher materials, such as directions for assessments, reference the Common Core State Standards.
Read Learning List’s alignment reports to understand the material’s alignment to the TEKS and editorial reviews to learn more about the program’s instructional quality and design. To access Learning List’s reviews of 95% Phonics Core Program and other phonics programs, including Sadlier’s From Phonics to Reading, Heggerty’s Phonemic Awareness, HMH’s Saxon Phonics, Corwin Press’ Puzzle Piece Phonics and more, contact Info@LearningList.com for subscription details.
About 95% Group
At 95 Percent Group, we build on science to empower teachers — supplying the knowledge, resources, and support they need to develop strong readers. Backed by decades of proven literacy expertise, our instructional and professional learning resources give educators the confidence to successfully guide students to literacy success.
About Learning List
Learning List offers a range of curriculum support services, including a low-cost subscription service that provides access to evidence-based alignment reports, instructional quality reviews, and technology compatibility reviews of thousands of K-12 instructional materials.