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Implementing Small-Group Reading Instruction Within an MTSS Model: From Planning to Practice
Thursday, October 16, 2025 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EDT
Presented by Dr. Stephanie Stollar, Founder, Reading Science Academy; Linda Diamond, Former Educator, Current Executive Director, Evidence Advocacy Center; and Dr. Gina Fugnitto, Former Educator, Current Chief Implementation Officer, Collaborative Classroom
Sponsored by Collaborative Classroom
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Is your instruction meeting the individual needs of every reader? While whole-class instruction is useful for building knowledge and comprehension, we know small-group instruction is the most effective and equitable method for foundational skills.
The key to accelerating growth is not just what you teach, but how you organize and implement your instruction. Join us for an in-depth discussion on how to move from a whole-group-only mindset to a data-driven approach that meets the needs of all learners—from emerging readers to adolescents.
We unpack how to use a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) as the foundational framework for building powerful small-group instruction that drives student success. In this edWebinar, you learn how to:
- Make Data-Driven Decisions: Use screening data to build effective skill-based groups and make informed instructional decisions
- Leverage MTSS as a Framework: Understand how MTSS supports all learners—not just those in intervention—by promoting a system of alignment and intensification that starts at Tier 1
- Build an Aligned System: Intensify instruction and maintain alignment across tiers with your core curriculum, avoiding the pitfalls of unaligned interventions
- Target Precisely to Accelerate: We’ll show how starting where students are is the fastest way to get them to grade-level proficiency
You leave with practical strategies for building schoolwide structures, regrouping across grade levels, and applying these practices to older readers. This recorded edWebinar is of interest to elementary and middle school teachers, school leaders, district leaders, reading coaches and specialists, and curriculum directors.
About the Presenters
Dr. Stephanie Stollar is passionate about using MTSS as the framework for helping all students become skilled readers. She’s the founder of the Reading Science Academy, an online community where over a thousand educators support each other to improve results in their schools. Dr. Stollar has served as an Assistant Professor at University of South Florida and Mount St. Joseph University, as a Vice President at Acadience Learning, as a consultant to hundreds of school districts, and as a school psychologist. Dr. Stollar believes that by supporting all educators, high achievement is possible for every student. She is the author of MTSS for Reading Improvement, Promoting Effective MTSS Implementation, and Reading Assessment Done Right.
Linda Diamond has dedicated her career to teaching children to read, particularly those with word-reading difficulties like dyslexia. Linda is the Executive Director of the Evidence Advocacy Center. Linda co-founded CORE Learning alongside former CA Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig in 1995. After serving as CORE’s President for 26 years, Linda stepped down from that role in December 2020, but she continues to serve on CORE’s Advisory Board. Linda has worked as a public school teacher, principal, director of curriculum and Instruction for a K–12 school district, and senior policy analyst with an emphasis on school-to-career, charter schools, and school reform. Linda is the co-author of the seminal textbooks Teaching Reading Sourcebook, Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures, and Vocabulary Handbook.
Dr. Gina Fugnitto is the Chief Implementation Officer at Collaborative Classroom, where she leads the Implementation Department in advancing professional learning and fostering the conditions necessary for sustainable implementation success. Drawing from a career devoted to empowering educators, Dr. Fugnitto is committed to bridging research and practice to drive meaningful, long-term improvements in student learning outcomes.
With a B.S. in elementary education, an M.Ed. in educational leadership, and an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from the UCF—specializing in literacy coaching trends— Dr. Fugnitto brings a unique blend of academic expertise and hands-on experience to her work. Her journey spans roles as a classroom teacher, interventionist, and instructional coach, equipping her with a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities educators face daily. Beyond her direct contributions to schools and districts, Dr. Fugnitto has made an impact at state and national levels through her leadership in designing and delivering professional learning experiences that cultivate instructional excellence.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
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Collaborative Classroom is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization providing evidence-based, classroom-tested solutions for early childhood through grade 12. We are your partner in ensuring all children become fluent readers, skilled writers, and critical thinkers who learn from and respect one another. Our programs, products, and professional learning empower educators to grow their teaching practices and create the conditions for authentic, student-centered learning.
