Phonics

UFLI Grant Research Study: Arkansas was awarded a $10 million federal grant to partner with the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) for the UFLI Arkansas Effectiveness Study (UFLI-AR). This initiative rolls out a tech-enabled, evidence-based foundational reading system across 80 elementary schools statewide to measure its effectiveness and scalability. Nine Springdale Elementary Schools were selected to participate in this research study.

• 5 Cohort 1 Schools: Will receive training and implement UFLI for core phonics instruction during the 2026–2027 school year. (Bayarri, Monitor, Tyson, Parson Hills, Sonora)

• 4 Control Schools: Will continue using Phonics First for the 2026–2027 school year, implementing UFLI in 2027–2028. (Elmdale, Knapp, Turnbow, Westwood) 

📌 Note: Phonics First remains the district-wide core phonics curriculum for Tier 1 instruction across Springdale Schools for all non-cohort schools.

⏩ Attention K–2 Teachers: Our K–2 phonics pacing has been updated for 2026–2027 to better align with state assessment benchmarks. A faster pace ensures foundational phonics skills are taught earlier, giving students the practice needed to meet state assessment benchmark goals. You'll find research, rationale, and support documents linked inside each scope and sequence. Throughout the year, teachers will work with instructional facilitators and grade-level teams to review progress and refine pacing as needed.