Once for principals

A turnkey reading program that doesn’t add to your plate

Once trains the support staff already in your building to deliver daily, scripted one-to-one lessons on a schedule that protects core instructional time.

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An instructional aide working one-on-one with a young student using the Once curriculum

A classroom of young students learning together

The why

Reading results start in kindergarten

As the school leader accountable for reading outcomes, you know third-grade proficiency is built on a kindergarten foundation. You've already adopted the Science of Reading, but you only have so many professional learning hours, coaching touchpoints, and room on your teachers' plates. The gap between vision and execution is where student outcomes live.

The promise

Kindergarten readers become easier to teach in every subject

When students learn to read successfully in kindergarten, they become more independent learners, require less differentiation and remediation, and can access instruction more confidently across academic subjects in the grades that follow.

The method

Turnkey for school leaders

Once is designed so you do not have to run another curriculum rollout. Here is how the program works inside your building.

Your staff, trained

Paraprofessionals, aides, co-teachers, resource teachers, specialists, and other support staff can become Once instructors.

A protected schedule

Once helps design a schedule for daily 15-minute lessons without taking students away from core instruction.

Recorded sessions

Recorded lessons give Once coaches a clear view of implementation and make feedback specific to each instructor.

Weekly coaching

Instructors meet with an expert coach each week to review lessons, practice upcoming skills, and improve delivery.

Results school leaders can act on

What schools saw when one-to-one reading became part of the day

Louisiana case study

Tangipahoa Parish School System

24% → 66%

kindergarten DIBELS proficiency after one school year

“The teachers, the Once instructors, the principals were just pleasantly surprised at the results of just one year with Once—which is why we decided to extend that into the first grade.”

Melissa StilleySuperintendent

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Indiana case study

Goshen Community Schools

~2×

growth compared with students who did not receive Once

“Our kids in Once grew almost twice as fast as kids that did not receive Once. That was the number one reason why we have it in every school now.”

Javier JiménezAssistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools

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Flagship evidence

0.46SD effect

Significant growth in kindergarten reading

For below-median kindergarten students who completed 80+ Once sessions in LXD Research's 2024–25 FastBridge quasi-experimental study. Statistically significant at p<0.001.

Explore the evidence

Complete

ESSA Tier 3 studies

Complete

ESSA Tier 2 study

In progress

ESSA Tier 1 study

Included with every implementation

Efficacy research included

Once sees every school and district as a research partner. Get efficacy data about your implementation at no additional cost—and help build a clearer picture of what works in early literacy.

Implementation-specific data

Understand student progress within your own Once implementation.

Included from the start

Efficacy research support is provided at no additional cost.

A growing evidence base

Help strengthen what schools know about effective early literacy instruction.

A school-based instructor encouraging a student during a one-to-one lesson

A low-risk start

Begin with the students who need the most support

Start with a focused Tier 2 or Tier 3 group and a small number of instructors. Review attendance, lesson delivery, and student progress, then expand to more students or Tier 1 kindergarten instruction when the model works in your building.

Plan a school implementation

Ready to see how Once fits your school day?

Tell us about your students, staffing, schedule, and early reading priorities. Our partnerships team will follow up with implementation options and next steps.