A Good Start Reading Supports Kids Left Behind by Broken Programs

Families Seek Accountability for Ineffective Reading Curriculums

A Massachusetts lawsuit accuses literacy specialists Lucy Calkins, Irene Fountas, and Gay Su Pinnell, along with their publisher, of promoting curriculums they allegedly knew were ineffective. Plaintiffs claim the authors ignored decades of research supporting phonics-based instruction and used weak studies to back their work. The lawsuit underscores the emotional strain and financial burden on families whose children struggled to learn to read under ineffective reading support and instruction. These families are calling for accountability.

The Units of Study and Leveled Literacy Intervention curriculums promoted by Calkins, Fountas, and Pinnell relied on discredited methods like three-cueing, which encourages students to guess words using pictures and other context clues. Critics of these methods argue they have contributed to low reading proficiency rates among American students. While Calkins has shifted her views and changed her curriculum to include more phonics, critics found these changes insufficient, leading to its revocation in New York City schools. Meanwhile, Fountas and Pinnell continue to stand behind their methods.

A Good Start Reading: A Phonics-Based Solution for Struggling Readers

The lawsuit comes at a time when many states are rethinking their approach to teaching reading, moving toward focused phonics instruction to help kids connect letters and sounds while building the knowledge they need for reading comprehension. Seeing so many children struggle under ineffective programs inspired us to create A Good Start Reading—a phonics-based program that replaces confusion with confidence through clear, research-backed instruction.

Our program helps children master short vowel words like “cat” and “bed,” providing the foundation to confidently decode words and understand the reading process. Developed by a seasoned educator with over 30 years of experience in public school, special education, and private tutoring, A Good Start Reading is perfect for children who can identify letters and their corresponding sounds but need a step-by-step guide to becoming fluent readers.

For children who’ve struggled under methods like three-cueing, where guessing often replaces understanding, A Good Start Reading offers a slow, repetitive pace and easy-to-follow instruction so your child grasps a true understanding of reading. Our hope is to help every child feel confident in their abilities and see themselves as readers, no matter where they start. Because with the proper tools and reading support, we know they can get there.