How Underserved Districts Use Lexia for Literacy Equity

Statistics stack up against underserved districts, and so do misconceptions. It is reported that 25% of graduates go on to earn an associate degree or higher, 72% of multilingual learners graduate high school, and overall, students experience larger declines in literacy.

Yet students and educators in these schools are proving that steeper odds can yield stronger gains—even within a single year. In Michigan’s Waterford School District, 82% of all students advanced at least one grade level of material in a single year when leaders implemented a Structured Literacy initiative using Lexia®. 

“I never dreamed that there would be acceleration support for kids like what we have now with Lexia,” said Christine Cyporyn, the district’s Title I coordinator.

Waterford School District is one of many high-needs districts using Lexia’s evidence-based literacy solutions to address resource gaps and drive outcomes. This article examines how educators in these districts are creating meaningful change, offering a blueprint for creating opportunity in marginalized schools. 

Why Literacy Equity Matters

Nearly two-thirds of public and private schools are underserved, based on Title I eligibility, rural location, economic disadvantage, or large multilingual or multicultural student populations. For leaders, it means entering the race for academic excellence far behind the starting line with fewer school resources, less teacher training, and limited student learning programs—on average $2,700 less per student.

Literacy can be the greatest equalizer for these districts. Grade-level reading is closely linked with academic success, influencing graduation rates and career and college readiness. Students who read proficiently graduate at higher rates, earn more advanced degrees, and achieve higher income potential. Literacy is the key to unlocking opportunities for all students. 

Addressing Common Misconceptions About Literacy Access

Assumptions can pose greater barriers than the systematic challenges themselves. Leaders often believe high-quality, science-backed solutions are out of reach because of funding and technology gaps, yet many creative administrators are demonstrating they can unlock access.

For example, district leaders have combined federal and state funding sources for pre-K–12 literacy support with Lexia because the evidence-based solutions qualify for multiple programs, including Title I, II, III, IDEA, and most grants. 

High-quality instruction can also be delivered in flexible environments using technology. In Laredo, Texas, elementary literacy coordinators teamed to roll out the Lexia® Core5® Reading Adaptive Blended Learning program for multilingual students attending school predominantly online. Lexia literacy programs were helpful because the solutions can be used together or independently.

“We wanted to make sure that these students were getting the right reading skill opportunities to practice, not only with a teacher when they weren’t remote, but also using a program that was going to reinforce those skills,” said Maria Arámbula-Ruiz, bilingual director, United Independent School District, Laredo, Texas.  

Educators in Laredo also accessed high-quality materials and teacher coaching to provide consistent, research-backed reading support in small-group, classroom, and at-home environments with Lexia’s built-in educator support. 

How Lexia Closes the Literacy Gap in Underserved Districts

Another common misconception is that learning to read comes naturally with enough exposure and practice. In reality, neurological, social-emotional, and executive-function factors can thwart reading proficiency. Districts with diverse student populations see the strongest reading gains when inclusive classroom practices are paired with explicit, science-based literacy instruction. 

Lexia literacy solutions are rooted in the gold-standard body of evidence about how the brain learns to read, including the foundational skills critical for multilingual and struggling readers. More than 20 peer-reviewed studies demonstrate Lexia literacy solutions help students in all Tiers, meeting Strong and Moderate ESSA standards. Using Lexia, educators become deeply knowledgeable in the science of reading, pinpointing student progress, differentiating instruction, and driving outcomes for pre-K–12 students—even with limited time or resources.

Accessible and Inclusive Licensing

To build literacy across schools and districts, students need uninterrupted access to high-quality literacy tools despite funding shifts. Many underserved districts use Lexia because of its flexible licensing. It allows leaders to adapt with individual student licenses, unlimited site licenses that give all students at a school access, or trial licenses for temporary evaluation. 

Implementation Support for Every Educator

In high-needs districts, teacher training in evidence-based reading instruction is paramount, a skill gap left by more than half of teacher-prep programs. In Washington state, leaders implemented the Lexia® LETRS® Suite and Lexia Aspire® Professional Learning to ensure teachers have the science-based strategies to intervene and address foundational reading skills from early elementary through high school. The teachers who use adaptive blended literacy programs like Lexia® Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® also receive in-program coaching and lesson recommendations for independent, small-group, and pull-out intervention.

“Every single teacher wants to help their students read,” said Dr. Erika Rudnicki, executive director of Scholar Learning, Academic Programs, and Staff Development in Washington. “Having the tools, like Lexia, to help them succeed is the motivating factor. One teacher shared, ‘For the first time in 33 years, I finally know how to teach reading.’” 

Proven Impact in Title 1 Schools

Sixty-five Percent of Students Leveled Up in Texas

Educators at United Independent School District (ISD) in Laredo, Texas used Core5 to help multilingual second grade students across 30 different campuses fully learn English. About 65% of those who used the program advanced at least one or more grade level. “That, to us, was phenomenal, because 90% of our students were learning virtually,” Arámbula-Ruiz said.

Educators in a Washington District Tripled Gains

In two years, district leaders at a large Washington state district with more than 20,000 students and a diverse multilingual population experienced 92% of the students using Core5 advance at least one grade level, 74% of middle school students using PowerUp improved skills by the end of the year. The number of students working on advanced literacy skills in Lexia also more than tripled. The effort was part of a multiyear transformation beginning with a small cohort of educators trained with LETRS and now includes more than 100 teachers.

Multilingual Students PowerUp Gains in Ohio

Educators at Mason City Schools in Ohio implemented Core5 and PowerUp to close gaps in English reading skills for multilingual elementary and middle school students. Using Core5, 45% of elementary students working below grade level advanced at least one grade level of material and 30% of students significantly behind accelerated at least two grade levels in reading skills. All middle school students using PowerUp improved at least two zones within the school year.

“Our students are growing tremendously,” said Emily Pate, ESL teacher for grades 7–8. “I just had a student in the 99th percentile for growth from fall to winter. Ninety-ninth percentile for growth is amazing. With Lexia, we’re seeing that literacy is growing at a tremendous rate for so many of our students.”

Measuring Return on Investment and Long-Term Impact of Literacy Programs

District leaders see more reading growth per dollar spent with Lexia. Core5 is supported with more than 40 studies showing students outperform comparison students on national norms, with effect sizes up to 0.53 and strong correlations (r = 0.44–0.67) with widely used assessments. PowerUp shows effect sizes up to 0.69, demonstrating a five-times impact against typical interventions. Multilingual students who used Lexia English Language Development™ scored an average of 15 points higher than nonusers and 18 points higher on the oral domain of the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) test. 

Embedded assessments allow leaders to monitor real-time progress, track trends districtwide or case by case, and ensure initiatives deliver measurable growth, while gaining the knowledge to pivot quickly when needed.

Advancing Educational Equity With Lexia

Students in underserved districts deserve the same opportunities as their peers in better-funded districts. For more than 40 years, Lexia has been committed to serving the potential of all students of all abilities. Explore how Lexia supports Title I and high-need schools in achieving lasting success.