Missouri DESE-Approved Solutions To Launch Successful Readers

Missouri leaders' commitment to improving literacy outcomes continues through the Read, Lead, Exceed initiative and requirements outlined in Senate Bill 681. Together, these efforts emphasize early identification, high-quality instruction, and timely intervention to ensure students develop strong foundational  reading skills. As district officials work to meet state expectations and improve students outcomes, selecting science of reading aligned, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)-approved literacy solutions is essential.

The Read, Lead, Exceed initiative reflects a statewide focus on using evidence-based practices to address reading difficulties before they become long-term barriers to success. Senate Bill 681 reinforces this focus by requiring district leaders to take action when students show signs of substantial reading deficiency, rather than waiting for gaps to widen throughout time. For Missouri educators, this means balancing instructional urgency with instructional integrity.

District leaders must not only identify students who need support, but also ensure the instruction provided is grounded in research and aligned to the science of reading. Choosing DESE-approved programs helps district officials meet statutory requirements while delivering instruction that produces measurable, sustainable growth.

Voyager Sopris Learning^® is proud to support Missouri educators with proven literacy interventions that align with state guidance and help teachers accelerate student progress.

Supporting Reading Success Plans With Evidence-Based Instruction

Missouri law requires district leaders to develop a Reading Success Plan (RSP) for any student identified with a substantial reading deficiency. These plans must include intensive, evidence-based reading instruction and remain in place until students reach grade-level proficiency.

Evidence-based reading instruction is grounded in decades of cognitive science and literacy research. This includes explicit, systematic instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. For students identified for a Reading Success Plan, instruction must be intentional, cumulative, and responsive to student data to efficiently close skill gaps.

Unlike core instruction alone, intervention programs designed to support RSP implementation provide targeted practice and ongoing progress monitoring. This allows educators to adjust instruction based on individual student needs and ensure students are receiving the right level of support at the right time. This level of precision is critical for accelerating learning and helping students reach grade-level expectations.

Voyager Sopris Learning offers two Missouri DESE-approved reading interventions based on the science of reading, providing targeted, evidence-based instruction to support Reading Success Plans (RSPs) and address individual student needs.

These solutions align with the requirements of the Missouri Read, Lead, Succeed Initiative.

Voyager Passport: Literacy Intervention for Grades K-5

• Voyager Passport

  Voyager Passport^® is a research-proven intervention for students in grades K–5 who need additional support in foundational literacy skills. the program accelerates early reading development through explicit instruction and systematic practice in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

  With structured daily lessons and embedded progress monitoring, Voyager Passport enables educators to identify skill gaps early and respond with targeted instruction. This makes it an effective solution for implementing Reading Success Plans, particularly for younger students, helping educators intervene early and prevent long-term reading difficulties.

REWARDS: Accelerating Literacy for Grades 4-12

• REWARDS

  REWARDS^® is a series of short-term reading and writing interventions for students in grades 4–12. As academic demands increase, many older students fall behind not because of content knowledge, but because they lack the decoding and fluency skills needed to access grade-level material.

  REWARDS directly addresses this challenge by teaching students research-based strategies to decode long, multisyllabic words and apply those skills across content areas. As a result, students improve fluency, expand vocabulary, and strengthen comprehension.

   

Partnering With Missouri Educators

Voyager Sopris Learning is committed to supporting Missouri district leaders with literacy solutions that align to state initiatives, statutory requirements, and the science of reading. From early intervention through high school, our programs help educators deliver targeted instruction that supports compliance while driving meaningful reading growth.

Ready to dive into the science of reading with aligned intervention solutions?

Explore our Missouri-approved evidence-based K-12 solutions and help get your students on the path to success.