The CSAS Blog
Written by educators. For educators.
Science of reading, MTSS, leadership, and special education insights from Dr. Chandra Williams and the CSAS team: the same thinking our partner schools get, published for everyone. Learn, grow, and take your system to the next level.
Stop Calling It a Behavior Problem. It’s a Literacy Problem in Disguise
The boy in the hallway can't read your worksheet. Now what? He's been in the hallway again. The principal has had the call with mom three times this month. The counselor has met with him weekly. His teacher is exhausted. And nobody has asked the question that explains...
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The Hidden Reason Your Teachers Are Struggling to Teach Reading
The Frustration No One Says Out Loud Across schools nationwide, teachers are working harder than ever to teach reading. They are: Planning lessons late into the night Attending...
What is MTSS in reading?
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) in reading is a framework that provides tiered instruction, including core instruction (Tier 1), targeted small group interventions (Tier 2), and...
How Instructional Coaching Transforms Literacy Instruction in Schools
Professional development introduces ideas. Instructional coaching changes practice. What is instructional coaching in literacy? Instructional coaching in literacy is a job-embedded...
What is structured literacy?
Structured literacy is a clear, systematic approach to teaching reading. It focuses on five essential skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This...
Why is small group instruction important?
Small group instruction is important because it allows teachers to provide targeted, skill-based instruction based on student needs, which accelerates reading growth when aligned with...
The Reading Intervention Playbook: How Schools Can Accelerate Reading Growth
Why do students struggle to read? Students struggle to read primarily due to gaps in foundational skills such as phonemic awareness, decoding, and fluency, often caused by a lack of...
The Science of Reading Implementation Guide for District Leaders
What is the Science of Reading? The Science of Reading is a body of research from cognitive science, linguistics, and education that explains how students learn to read, emphasizing...
The 10 Literacy Coaching Mistakes Districts Make (And How to Fix Them)
Across the country, districts are investing millions in literacy initiatives. New curricula, Professional development workshops, Assessment systems. Intervention programs. Yet reading...
Teachers Don’t Need More Workshops, They Need Instructional Coaching
A district can host the best professional development workshop in the country. But if no one supports teachers afterward, very little changes. This is one of the most common...
Why Professional Development Fails in Schools (And What Works Instead)
Most districts invest thousands of dollars in professional development each year. Yet classroom instruction rarely changes. Teachers attend workshops. They receive binders. They leave...
The Most Powerful 15 Minutes of Your Literacy Block (That You Might Be Missing)
If you’re skipping this one part of your literacy block, you might be leaving your most vulnerable readers behind. Daily phonemic awareness instruction is the single most predictive...
“But They Can Read!” How to Spot Hidden Gaps in Word Recognition
They’re flying through books… but bomb the comprehension test. What gives? Many students in grades 3–8 appear to be strong readers—but rely on memorization and guessing instead of...
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