In-House Case Study: Air Reading in Texas Schools

Last updated: December 5, 2025

In partnership with Crandall Independent School District (ISD) and the Heartland Education Foundation, Air Reading is helping Texas schools accelerate reading growth for students who need it most. Using live, online small-group instruction grounded in the Science of Reading, Air Reading is transforming how districts deliver intervention. Across after-school and in-class programs, students in Crandall ISD are showing measurable, sustained gains in reading achievement—outpacing their peers by up to nine times.

District snapshot: Crandall ISD, Texas

District	Heartland, Texas
Total students	6,003
Free/reduced lunch	61.95%
Emergent Multilingual Learners	18.27%
Students not approaching or reading at grade level	28%

After-school implementation: 3.4x to 9.1x growth

In October 2022, Crandall ISD launched its partnership with Air Reading to provide live, online small-group tutoring to 4th–6th grade students across two elementary schools.

Program details

Duration: 8 weeks
Frequency: 3 sessions per week
Session length: 40 minutes
Students served: 45

Results: Lasting impact on reading scores

Fall to mid-year: Air Reading students grew 3.4x more than their peers on the NWEA MAP Reading assessment (3.9 vs. 1.1 points).
Mid-year to end-of-year: Without additional sessions, the same students continued to accelerate—achieving a 12.3-point gain by spring, compared to a 1.3-point gain among peers.

This represents growth over nine times faster than the district average—showing that the benefits of Air Reading persist even after direct instruction ends.

Chart showing how 6th graders receiving Air Reading tutoring grew from 3.4x to 9.1x on their MAP scores.

In-class implementation: 4.9x growth

Following the success of the after-school pilot, Dietz Elementary expanded Air Reading into the classroom. Starting in January 2023, the school implemented Air Reading as part of the 3rd grade center time.

Program details

Duration: 6.5 weeks
Frequency: 4 sessions per week
Session length: 40 minutes
Students served: 48 (across 4 classes)

Classroom teachers worked with small groups while other students participated in live Air Reading sessions tailored to their reading level.

Results: Rapid literacy gains

Air Reading students grew 4.9x faster than peers—averaging a 6.4-point gain compared to 1.3 points for non-participants.
Students closed significant gaps in just six weeks, gaining roughly five months of learning in 1.5 months.

Chart showing 4.9x growth on MAP reading scores for 3rd graders receiving Air Reading tutoring.

Closing learning gaps

At mid-year, Air Reading students scored 7.6 points below their peers (188 vs. 195). By spring, they had closed nearly the entire gap—scoring 194 vs. 197.

Powerful results for EML and SPED students

Among third graders, Emergent Multilingual Learners (EML) and students with special needs showed exceptional gains:

EML students: +12.4 points
Students with special needs: +7.0 points
Average Air Reading student: +6.3 points

These outcomes underscore Air Reading’s ability to meet diverse learners’ needs through differentiated, data-informed instruction.

Additional benefits: beyond reading scores

Teachers and facilitators observed far-reaching benefits beyond literacy:

Math growth: Students participating in Air Reading also demonstrated measurable improvement in math performance.
Social-emotional growth: Increased confidence, positive peer interactions, and improved classroom behavior.
Teacher development: Educators gained exposure to high-quality Science of Reading instruction by observing Air Reading sessions.

Why it matters

Crandall ISD’s partnership with Air Reading demonstrates how high-dosage tutoring can be adapted across instructional formats—after-school, in-class, and small-group rotations—while maintaining measurable results.

The district’s success highlights key takeaways:

Sustained growth: Students continued to make gains even after tutoring sessions ended.
Scalability: Air Reading’s model works across schedules and student groups.
Teacher empowerment: Classroom educators benefit from exposure to evidence-based practices.
Equity in access: Air Reading helps ensure every student—especially EML and SPED—receives personalized, high-quality literacy instruction.

Sources cited

Air Reading. (n.d.). Case study: Small group reading intervention with Air Reading [Image]. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/611c8013f5dff066a867a8d7/t/65d460053afc5f190155a561/1708417032026/Air+Reading+Case+Study.jpg.

Heartland Education Foundation. (n.d.). Air Reading. Retrieved October 24, 2025, from https://www.heartlandef.org/air-reading.