How Marshall Middle School, MN levelled up its literacy system.
600+
students screened, grades 5-8
39%62%
Word Recognition & Decoding
53%61%
Reading Comprehension
“Earlier assessments showed who was behind; ReadBasix helped show why they were behind. This data gave the team a clearer count of students needing foundational support.”
In response to the data, Marshall reframed its literacy strategy around the "decoding threshold," recognizing that comprehension plateaus without accurate word recognition. By isolating Capti ReadBasix Subtest #1 as a precise diagnostic signal, the school eliminated guesswork and deployed targeted, evidence-based interventions.
The shift: Marshall deployed a comprehensive, structured operational framework to dramatically shift student literacy instruction. The administration acted strategically, establishing a swift screening timeline, mapping specific student reading needs, and repurposing the focus of instruction during a daily, flexible intervention block.
“Our Priority: Create a system that offers targeted reading support for our learners.”
| Step | Focus | The 5-Step Operational Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Universal & Diagnostic Screening | Conducted summer planning and ran ReadBasix in week two to audit all students' instructional needs. |
| Step 2 | Additional Diagnostics for Placement | Administered additional phonemic awareness test and phonics inventory to students scoring 220 or below to sharpen precise placement entries. |
| Step 3 | Group Students by Skill Need | Aligned intervention groups directly to root causes (phonemic awareness, phonics, or multisyllabic decoding). |
| Step 4 | Support Teacher for Consistent Delivery | Provided clear intervention routines, program materials, and dedicated daily intervention time. |
| Step 5 | Build Familiarity & Confidence | Embedded the school-wide "Word of the Day\" practice opportunities to reinforce regular, daily attention to word-level reading. |
Dramatic Tier shifts were achieved in Word Recognition & Decoding
By moving from general identification to precise, root-cause intervention, Marshall Middle School achieved massive student turnaround by the end of the 3rd quarter, Year 1 of using ReadBasix:
Grade 5
27% → 51%Strong-high average
73% → 49%Weak-low average
Grade 6
34% → 61%Strong-high average
66% → 39%Weak-low average
Grade 7
49% → 72%Strong-high average
51% → 28%Weak-low average
Grade 8
46% → 68%Strong-high average
54% → 32%Weak-low average
Systemic literacy equity requires secondary screeners that measure word-level components alongside comprehension, pairing diagnostic root-cause data with a protected, intentionally scheduled intervention programming to target exact skill deficits without lowering expectations.
“Build intervention time into the daily schedule. Use diagnostic insight to group by actual skill need. Support teachers with routines, materials, and confidence. Trust the process and use expert guidance along the way.”
This webinar takes a look at how Marshall Middle School transformed its approach to student reading growth. After identifying a need for a more specialized system to support adolescent literacy, the team used Capti ReadBasix data to pinpoint specific gaps in Word Recognition and Decoding.
Book a personalized demo with our team today and discover how ReadBasix can empower your educators and students.
Book a Demo
Cloquet Middle School used ReadBasix to identify the root causes of reading challenges and implement targeted, word-level interventions. As a result, the number of students below the decoding threshold dropped from 32 to just 9, leading to expanded use of ReadBasix data to strengthen Tier 1 instruction.
Luxemburg-Casco School District partnered with Capti to strengthen literacy instruction in Grades 4–12 using ReadBasix as a diagnostic assessment. In just 12 weeks, students receiving word-level interventions showed significant gains in decoding skills, supporting their readiness for more complex texts.
