Systematic, explicit reading instruction including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension has been shown to be effective at teaching nearly all children to read. The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework is used in schools for identifying students who need supplemental instruction and ascertaining their areas of weakness. It is also used for monitoring the progress of students and facilitating ongoing instructional decisions. Homeschool families typically do not have access to scholarly research about effective reading instruction or to tools for determining if their children are making adequate progress or if a change in instruction is needed. The Knoxville Home School Assistance Program (KHSAP) serves approximately 60 students in Knoxville, Iowa. Parents in the program seek confirmation their children are making adequate progress, but KHSAP staff are not in a position to definitively give affirmation. The purpose of this program improvement plan is to create an MTSS framework within KHSAP to provide families in the program with access to education about evidence-based reading instruction, universal screening, progress monitoring, and the support of KHSAP staff in making instructional decisions
