America's Schools Are Lying About Failure

Yes, teach phonics, train teachers and, a slight tweak on your list, implement mastery based instruction in all core subjects. Teacher designed assessments are unreliable & achievement tests administered at the end of the year are rarely used to inform iteration or provide individual support. NWEA’s MAP test is administered 2-3 times a year or more. Frequent formative assessment, like MAP, shows if students have mastered explicit, granular learning targets.Mastery is defined in advance & students do not advance to higher levels until they demonstrate mastery.