CAREI's Literacy Interventions Review Guide
This resource offers K–12 educators an independent and systematic review of literacy interventions, specifically vetted for their alignment with Structured Literacy principles and federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) standards.
The review at a glance
To support literacy excellence nationwide, the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) conducted a rigorous, two-phase review of literacy interventions to present a clear, actionable guide.
- 1,700+ studies screened: Our team analyzed peer-reviewed research spanning three decades (1990-2024) to ensure your decisions are backed by a deep foundation of research.
- 41 proven interventions: We only included programs meeting ESSA “Strong” or “Moderate” evidence standards.
- Structured literacy focus: Each tool was evaluated for alignment with phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.
Literacy Interventions Review table
Search and filter the evidence-based programs in the table below. To sort by specific data—such as ESSA Rating or Grade Levels—click or hover over the column header title. Note: For the best experience viewing detailed intervention data, we recommend using a desktop or laptop browser.
Last updated: January 2026
Frequently asked questions about the intervention review
No. This review does not endorse, approve, or recommend specific interventions. The ratings reflect analytic judgments based on defined evidence and content criteria and are intended to support professional judgment. The list should be used as one input among many, alongside local context, implementation capacity, instructional coherence, and student need.
No. This review includes only interventions with published peer-reviewed studies meeting ESSA Strong or Moderate evidence criteria and for which instructional materials were available for content review. There are effective interventions not included in this list due to scope, evidence availability, or timing.
No. Effect sizes provide information about the magnitude of impact observed in a specific study context, but they do not account for differences in implementation, instructional match, or system capacity. CAREI encourages districts to interpret effect sizes alongside evidence strength, instructional alignment, feasibility of implementation, and student need.
Interventions were identified through a scoping review of all peer-reviewed research studies published in ERIC between 1990 and 2024. Any intervention with at least one study that met requirements for ESSA Strong (Tier 1) or Moderate (Tier 2) evidence, according to an adapted version of the REL Midwest operationalization of ESSA’s criteria, was then reviewed for content alignment with research-based expectations commonly reflected in science-of-reading–aligned instructional frameworks.
Once an intervention met the modified-REL ESSA criteria for Strong or Moderate evidence, it was then reviewed for content alignment with the science of reading. For this stage, we contacted publishers or researchers directly to request instructional and professional learning materials. We also reviewed publicly available program materials posted on publisher or program websites.
Importantly, an area of literacy (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, or writing) and its associated components were only scored when reviewers could verify evidence of alignment directly in the instructional or PD materials themselves. If a program claimed to address a component but did not provide documentation, no rating was given. This ensured that ratings reflected observable content and instructional design features, not marketing claims or unverified assurances.
This list is designed to help districts identify programs that meet strong evidence standards, inform the selection of options likely to produce positive outcomes, support planning across different tiers of support within an MTSS framework, and guide conversations about investment and training. Districts should pair these interventions with local student data and implementation considerations.
The most effective interventions are those that are strategically aligned to the Tier 1 instruction students receive. Before selecting an intervention, districts should examine their core literacy instruction to ensure it is itself aligned with the science of reading. Interventions should then be chosen to complement and extend Tier 1, not work against it. This approach aligns with MTSS guidance, which emphasizes matching instruction to learner need rather than assigning materials to fixed tiers.
Districts can use local data—such as universal screening, progress monitoring, and diagnostic information—to identify where students need additional support and select interventions that directly address those specific skill gaps. Matching interventions to both identified skill needs and the structure of Tier 1 instruction helps ensure coherence across tiers, increase instructional efficiency, and improve student outcomes.
If an intervention currently in use is not on the reviewed intervention list, it does not automatically need to be discontinued. Districts should:
- Consider why the program is not listed (e.g., no published studies, or lack of content alignment),
- Consider whether local outcome data show positive effects for their students,
- Weigh the costs and benefits of continuing vs. transitioning to another program with stronger evidence,
- Develop a plan to monitor student outcomes closely if the program is retained, and
- Develop a plan for de-implementation of the old program and strong implementation of a new program if a new intervention is chosen, including governance processes and stakeholder communication.
Using this list of reviewed interventions should help districts prioritize programs with strong evidence over time, while also respecting local context and existing investments.
Get the complete literacy interventions intro toolkit
Expand your implementation strategy with our curated resource bundle. Our free toolkit includes:
- Expert video guidance: An on-demand walkthrough of the review findings and methodology.
- Full research report: Detailed, granular data on all 41 vetted interventions.
- Implementation resources: Guided tools to help you match programs to student needs and local context.