THE SCIENCE OF READING IN ACTION - How Toledo’s Escuela SMART Academy is making phonics and content knowledge central to literacy instruction

Oct 15, 2026

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A report profiles how Toledo’s Escuela SMART Academy uses the Science of Reading to strengthen literacy instruction. Evidence from the 2022 to 2023–24 period highlights gains in students passing Ohio reading proficiency tests, alongside implementation of Amplify CKLA with a strong focus on phonics, decoding, and foundational skills. It also describes the school’s bilingual environment for Latino students, including Spanish instruction, family engagement practices, and staff supports that sustain instructional direction.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

About the author

Acknowledgments

Classroom outcomes with Amplify CKLA

Results across school years

Phonics, decoding, and early literacy skills

Hispanic families and bilingual instruction

Spanish lessons and family engagement

Staff language supports

THE SCIENCE OF READING IN ACTION How Toledo’s Escuela SMART Academy is making phonicsand content knowledge central to literacy instruction By Ellen Belcher APRIL 2025 About the author Ellen Belcher, an award-winning journalist, spent most of her three-decade journalism career at the Dayton Daily News, where she was the editorial page editor from 2000–2011. She is currently a communications consultant working with organizations focused on improving education, especially for young children. Acknowledgments We at the Fordham Institute are deeply grateful to the many people who contributed to this work. Foremost, we extend thanks to Ellen Belcher and videographers Ransome Rowland and Colton Puterbaugh of B2 Studios, whom we commissioned to shine light on Ohio schools that are putting the Science of Reading into practice. We appreciate their professionalism in working with educators, as well as their ability to capture what this approach to literacy instruction looks like in classrooms. We extend special thanks to Dr. Amy Allen and Tamara Lemle of Toledo Public Schools for their leadership and support coordinating the project. We also wish to thank the educators who took time out of their busy schedules to share their thoughts and experiences. On the Fordham team, we wish to thank Jeff Murray, who assisted with report production and dissemination. Kathi Kizirnis copyedited the manuscript and Stephanie Henry created the design. Funding for this report comes from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and our sister organization, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. — AARON CHURCHILL Ohio Research Director, Thomas B. Fordham Institute The Thomas B. Fordham Institute promotes educational excellence for every child in America via quality research, analysis, and commentary, as well as advocacy and charter school authorizing in Ohio. It is affiliated with the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, and this publication is a joint project of the Foundation and the Institute. The Institute is neither connected with nor sponsored by Fordham University. I In 2022, the first year Samantha Eischen used Amplify CKLA, a reading curriculum based in the Science of Reading, the second-grade teacher at Escuela SMART Academy in Toledo was sold. Of the school’s thirty-two mostly Spanishspeaking second graders, eleven went on to pass Ohio’s reading proficiency test on the first try in the fall of third grade. Just four students had passed the year before. Fast-forward to the 2023–24 school year, and almost 43 percent of Escuela students passed the third-grade reading proficiency test. Particularly impressive, the PK–6 public elementary school has received the highest rating—five stars—on the“Progress” component of its Ohio Report Card for the last three years. Its five-star distinction means the school’s nearly 300 students—all of whom are considered economically disadvantaged—are achieving beyond their expected academic growth. Administrators and teachers aren’t satisfied with students’ reading scores, but they like the direction they’re moving in, especially given that English is a second language for so many of the children. Maria Bailey, a district literacy support teacher, said Amplify CKLA’s emphasis on phonics and decoding is laying the foundation students need to read well. By the time they leave for the holiday break in December, she said, kindergartners can break apart words and blend sounds—a first step in reading. Teachers “really notice if a student can’t do those things” and can intervene. “Our teachers certainly see the difference with it,” Bailey said. — MARIA BAILEY Hispanic families flock to Escuela Situated on the edge of Toledo’s downtown, Escuela was formerly a charter school. Among Hispanic families, the school is seen as a welcoming and nurturing place where their children’s heritage is celebrated, and where language differences are treated as opportunities, not barriers. The stude

FAQs

What curriculum does Escuela SMART Academy use based on the Science of Reading?

The school uses Amplify CKLA, described as a reading curriculum grounded in the Science of Reading, with emphasis on phonics and decoding.

What reading outcomes did the report highlight for Escuela students?

In the 2022–23 timeframe, more students passed Ohio’s reading proficiency test on the first try than the prior year; by 2023–24, nearly 43% passed the third-grade test and the school received a top “Progress” rating for multiple years.

How does Escuela support bilingual learning for Spanish-speaking families and students?

Students receive daily Spanish lessons, progress reports and communications with families are provided in English and Spanish, and school practices include bilingual pledges and announcements, with staff supports including Spanish-speaking educators and language resources for teachers.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati