Success for All (SFA)

Success for All (SFA) is a whole-school reform initiative whose goal is to help all elementary school students become competent readers. The program serves students in kindergarten through grades 5 or 6 (K-5 or K-6). SFA's reading instruction emphasizes phonics for beginning readers and comprehension for students at all levels, featuring a highly structured curriculum, use of cooperative learning strategies, across-grade ability grouping, frequent assessments, and tutoring for students who need extra help. The program includes components that address students' noninstructional issues such as behavior, attendance, and parental involvement. SFA employs strategies to secure teacher buy-in, provides teachers and leaders with initial and ongoing training, and fosters shared leadership. The program requires a 90-minute reading period and uses technology, cooperative learning in pairs and small groups, cross-grade ability grouping for reading (walk to read), quarterly assessments to measure progress and regroup students, and computerized small-group and individual tutoring for struggling students.