Stephanie Stollar Consulting

11/05/2026

A CAT score may help you spot who is struggling. It may not tell you exactly what that student needs to learn next.

💡 Treat the score as a starting point, not a complete instructional plan.

If a large percentage of your class scores low, the automatic answer is not necessarily more testing or more intervention groups.

💡 Start with class-wide practices in Tier 1 that can improve outcomes for everyone.

Immediate error correction, choral responding, more practice opportunities at all levels, and class-wide fluency work in grades 2+ are Tier 1 moves you can make even when your screening system doesn’t give you everything you need.

For some students, you’ll still need more specific information.

🔍 That might mean a placement test, decoding diagnostic, language comprehension diagnostic, NWF, or ORF to help you answer, “What do they need next?”

💡 You can strengthen class-wide instruction AND gather more targeted data for students who need it.

It’s both, not either/or. You can be responsive with your instruction even before you have an ideal screening system.

Feeling tied to CATs this year?

You can still make a difference in Tier 1.

Access the 10 Ways to Enhance Tier 1 Instruction and Effective Tier 1 Instruction Checklist in the free PreK–12 Resource Library here: https://www.stephaniestollar.com/prek-12/free-resources?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=26_11_05_Assessment

11/03/2026

What would you add to this list?

Which instructional practices make you go “Hmm…”? 🤔

Unlock my free PreK-12 Resource Library and get more of the reactions you want to see: https://www.stephaniestollar.com/prek-12/free-resources?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Video&utm_campaign=26_11_03_Meet_Stephanie #

10/30/2026

Attendance is a topic on the minds of many educators. Join us in the MTSS Collective for a research-informed discussion of practical approaches to promoting attendance!

We are so excited for Implementation Insights this month! Every month, MTSS Implementation experts share what works and the lessons they've learned along the way. Join us today! https://www.mtss-innovations.com/

10/30/2026

I’m looking forward to presenting at the NOBIDA conference on Monday!

In preparation, we were lucky to have the chance to ask her a few questions about her Keynote and Breakout Session topics!

10/29/2026

Want to dig into what stronger K-2 instruction can look like in practice?

Join my co-authors and me for a day of bringing Routines for Reading Results to life with our in-person workshop.

You’ll have dedicated time to plan for implementation, so you leave with practical next steps you can bring back to your setting.

Registration includes your copy of the book, a participant guide, breakfast, lunch, snacks, and 6.5 contact hours.

Teams of 5+ can save 15% with code TEAM15RRR.

Register here: https://www.routinesforreadingresults.com/workshop

10/27/2026

What do you do when a student can read grade-level text accurately and fluently, but still isn’t understanding what they read?

That screening pattern gives you important information.

If word recognition appears strong but reading comprehension is weak, it may be time to look more closely at the student’s language comprehension skills.

I’m an assessment nerd, and I’m a big fan of The Acadience Reading Diagnostic: Comprehension, Fluency, & Oral Language (CFOL).

(I even wrote a book about reading assessment: https://a.co/d/0gKEahDm)

CFOL is helpful when:

✅ You’ve completed the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) screening.

🤔 You have students reading accurately and fluently at their grade level, but struggling with comprehension.

📢 You know you’re not dealing with a word recognition problem but a language comprehension problem.

The CFOL diagnostic steps in perfectly here to help you understand which aspects of language comprehension are tripping up your student.

Watch the video to learn how to move from ORF screening to the CFOL diagnostic.

Tell me in the comments: 👇

Have you seen this screening pattern before?

What diagnostic assessments are you currently using to investigate language comprehension?

10/23/2026

I love sitting down with Melissa and Lori to talk about literacy.

My co-author This Mom Loves by Kate Winn and I joined the podcast to talk about our book Reading Assessment Done Right.

We dig into where assessment can go off track, what educators should be looking for instead, and how to make the data you collect more useful in practice.

At the end of the day, reading assessment is worth our effort if it helps us make better instructional decisions for students.

Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts! 🎧

10/23/2026

I'm excited to be presenting about MTSS at the NOBIDA Conference on November 2 in Akron, Ohio. I hope to see you there! https://nobida.memberclicks.net/annual-symposium

10/22/2026

Dyslexia awareness has come a long way, but some outdated ideas still shape how dyslexia is approached in schools.

As awareness grows and definitions evolve, educators can be left wondering what they should do when they’re concerned about a student.

Let’s clear up a few common questions:

1️⃣ True or False: A single screening test can identify dyslexia.

❌ False

No single screening test determines whether a student has dyslexia. Use screening, direct reading measures, and progress monitoring to identify risk and guide support.

2️⃣ True or False: You can change instruction for a student suspected of having dyslexia before a formal diagnosis is confirmed.

✔️ True

Schools have a legal responsibility to find and serve students with learning disabilities, including dyslexia. Parents should be told that they don’t have to pay for a private evaluation. Schools can partner with families to take action at the first sign of concern. Act early.

3️⃣ An IQ score can identify dyslexia.

❌ False

The old discrepancy model relied on a gap between IQ and reading scores, but that approach was debunked. Direct reading data and response to intervention are more useful.

4️⃣ You should tell families if you have concerns about their child’s reading performance or progress.

✔️ True

Early communication makes a difference. If you see signs of dyslexia, be specific about your concerns, explain what the school is doing, and invite families into the support plan.

Want more tools to help you support students? Unlock my free PreK–12 Resource Library.

https://www.stephaniestollar.com/prek-12/free-resources?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=26_10_22_Dyslexia

10/21/2026

Should every student receive the exact same instruction at the same time, just because they’re in the same grade?

Direct Instruction takes a different approach.

Instead of starting with a student’s age or grade level, instruction starts with the next skill they need to learn in the instructional sequence.

Every classroom has variance in readiness for skills.

Teaching everyone the same lesson can leave some students repeating skills they’ve already mastered while others are asked to apply skills before the necessary prerequisites are in place.

In this Direct Instruction myth-busting video, I’m talking specifically about the instructional rationale behind skill-based groups.

You’ll learn:

▪️ Why starting at the lowest unmastered skill can help students learn more efficiently.
▪️ Why relatively homogeneous groups can progress faster.
▪️ Why “covering” grade-level content isn’t the same as students learning it

📖 Explore skill-based grouping and 60+ evidence-based literacy routines in Routines for Reading Results: https://amzn.to/4zffllg