Arizona Educator Expands National Literacy Initiative Through Peer-Reviewed Publication and Consultancy Launch

United States, 23rd Jul 2025 — Mary Joy Tome‑Barredo, renowned literacy specialist and founder of Tier 3 Literacy Solutions, proudly announces integrating her peer-reviewed publication into her Arizona-registered consultancy model. Her coalescing of rigorous research and practical training continues to advance literacy outcomes nationally for struggling and Tier 3 students.

Peer-Reviewed Impact

In June 2025, the International Research Journal of Education and Technology published Mary Joy Tome-Barredo’s groundbreaking article, “U.S. National Literacy Intervention Training for Educators Serving Struggling Readers and Tier 3 Students” (Vol. 8, Issue 5). This peer-reviewed publication marks a significant milestone in the national discourse on equitable education, offering a rigorously designed professional development framework anchored in the science of reading, teacher capacity-building, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

The article responds directly to persistent literacy disparities in the U.S., where only 32% of fourth-grade students read at or above proficiency according to NAEP assessments, and more than 40% fall below basic levels—statistics that disproportionately affect students from low-income, multilingual, and special education backgrounds. Tome-Barredo’s work identifies these Tier 3 readers not as anomalies but as indicators of systemic undertraining in early reading intervention.

Her published model offers a five-phase training strategy:

1. A diagnostic Needs Assessment using screening tools such as DIBELS and MAP to identify gaps in instruction and support.
2. Foundational Workshops that deliver structured literacy content grounded in evidence-based practices from the National Reading Panel and LETRS framework.
3. Embedded Coaching and Implementation Support, featuring fidelity checklists, walkthroughs, and co-teaching models.
4. Curriculum Toolkits with downloadable intervention guides, phonics routines, and progress-monitoring instruments.
5. Monthly Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) promote reflective practice and peer-led problem-solving among educators.

In addition to the training model, the article details proposed pilot implementation and mixed-methods evaluation strategy designed to assess both student progress (e.g., fluency, decoding, reading comprehension) and teacher growth (e.g., instructional fidelity, confidence, retention in reading specialist roles). These measurable outcomes are critical not only for assessing efficacy but also for informing local, state, and federal literacy policy.

The article's peer-reviewed status affirms its academic rigor and strategic coherence, elevating it from a consultancy proposal to a nationally scalable intervention framework. Tome-Barredo’s publication provides a timely and credible solution to the literacy crisis and affirms her position as both a practitioner and thought leader in K–12 education reform.

Tier 3 Literacy Solutions: From Research to Action

Tier 3 Literacy Solutions, officially registered as a consultancy in Arizona, serves as the implementation arm of Mary Joy Tome-Barredo’s peer-reviewed research. Building upon her publication in the International Research Journal of Education and Technology, the consultancy transforms theory into actionable, scalable solutions for districts seeking to address deep-rooted literacy inequities. It offers a comprehensive suite of services designed for sustained instructional improvement and measurable student outcomes.

Tier 3 Literacy Solutions operationalizes its academic framework through:

•  Structured Literacy Training: The consultancy delivers intensive workshops and modular training rooted in reading science. Programs are aligned with the National Reading Panel’s recommendations and tailored to Tier 3 student profiles, including those with learning disabilities, English language learners, and students significantly behind in decoding and fluency. Educators receive toolkits that include phonics routines, phonological awareness interventions, and progress-monitoring templates adapted to district contexts.
• Consulting Services and Implementation Support: Partnering school systems receive custom-designed implementation plans that align with federal policy mandates under Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Services include district-wide needs assessments, stakeholder alignment workshops, coaching capacity-building, and fidelity audits. The consultancy also supports schools navigating new state-level reading legislation that mandates evidence-based interventions in early grades.
• Certification and Literacy Coaching: Tier 3 Literacy Solutions offers a pathway for educators to earn the Literacy Intervention Specialist credential—a micro-credential backed by structured coursework, implementation practicum, and mentorship. Coaches trained through the program are equipped to lead sustained, school-based literacy reforms, strengthening institutional capacity and ensuring long-term impact.

Tier 3 Literacy Solutions also maintains a strong commitment to equity. Its services prioritize Title I schools, rural districts, and high-needs populations, which often lack access to certified reading specialists or state-aligned training. The consultancy integrates culturally responsive pedagogy into all content to ensure interventions are relevant and effective across diverse student demographics.

“With this peer-reviewed validation,” Tome-Barredo emphasized, “we are uniquely positioned to translate theory into effective classroom practice—especially for the students and educators needing support. Our model is not just another program; it’s a movement rooted in data, equity, and teacher empowerment.”

National Implications

Mary Joy Tome-Barredo’s dual expertise as a peer-reviewed academic contributor and founder of a state-registered consultancy places her in a uniquely effective position to bridge the longstanding gap between educational research and K–12 implementation. The Tier 3 Literacy Solutions model she developed offers timely, research-grounded interventions that align with multiple national priorities and policy mandates currently shaping the future of literacy education in the United States.

At the federal level, the Tier 3 model supports the objectives of the U.S. Department of Education’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant Program, which emphasizes literacy advancement from birth to Grade 12 through high-quality professional development, evidence-based practices, and support for disadvantaged student populations. Her framework also reinforces priorities in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which requires the use of scientifically based interventions for struggling students and calls for equitable access to highly effective teachers.

Furthermore, the Tier 3 model aligns with the national push for the “science of reading” movement—a growing, bipartisan policy trend that has led over 40 U.S. states to enact or propose legislation mandating evidence-based literacy instruction in elementary schools. These include:

• Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act and its focus on foundational skills and reading coaches.
• Arkansas’ Right to Read Act requires all teachers to demonstrate proficiency in structured literacy.
• Ohio’s 2023 budget law mandates science-of-reading training for K–5 teachers statewide.
• Tennessee’s Reading 360 initiative provides statewide coaching, aligned instructional materials, and summer programming to improve early literacy.

Tome-Barredo’s literacy intervention strategy also supports the objectives of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2030 framework, which identifies childhood literacy as a social determinant of health and educational equity. Her emphasis on professional learning communities, sustained coaching, and culturally responsive instruction aligns with research from the Learning Policy Institute and National Center for Teacher Quality, which shows that long-term teacher development and MTSS-aligned practices are essential to reversing generational reading gaps.

With her consultancy piloting implementation in Arizona—one of the states grappling with below-average reading performance among fourth-grade students—Tome-Barredo is modeling a scalable intervention tailored to any U.S. state's specific demographic, legislative, and resource realities.

As the nation deals with a reading crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Tome-Barredo’s Tier 3 framework is more than a solution—it is a national model for literacy equity, instructional quality, and systemic change.

About Mary Joy Tome-Barredo

Mary Joy Tome-Barredo is an international educator, literacy interventionist, and curriculum leader with over 11 years of classroom and programmatic experience in the Philippines and the United States. Her work has centered on improving learning outcomes for students in underserved communities, particularly in Tier 3 and special education settings.

She holds advanced training in early literacy and numeracy intervention. She has led the successful implementation of multi-tiered systems of support, such as the Walk to Read program, across high-needs public schools in Arizona. Her instructional leadership has earned recognition for improving phonological awareness, decoding skills, and comprehension outcomes among at-risk elementary learners.

Tome-Barredo is also the co-author of the textbook Oral Communication and Public Speaking: Techniques for English Teachers, which is used in teacher education programs across Southeast Asia. Her publications reflect a firm grounding in language acquisition, culturally responsive pedagogy, and instructional clarity, which now inform her consultancy’s training modules and toolkits.

Through this consultancy, Tome-Barredo merges research, policy alignment, and classroom-tested practices to equip educators with the tools they need to support the nation's most vulnerable readers.

Partnerships Welcomed

Tier 3 Literacy Solutions is onboarding partner districts for its 2026–2027 pilot implementation phase and actively welcomes collaboration from educational stakeholders committed to transforming literacy equity through evidence-based innovation.

The consultancy invites inquiries and expressions of interest from:

• School Systems and Districts
  Seeking to design, enhance, or evaluate Tier 3 intervention programs aligned with state mandates and federal ESSA guidelines.
• Regional Education Agencies and State Departments of Education
  Looking to scale high-impact teacher training programs rooted in the science of reading and structured literacy instruction.
• Foundations, Grantmakers, and Nonprofit Organizations
  Aiming to support systemic literacy reform, reduce achievement gaps, and invest in culturally inclusive, data-driven approaches to reading success.

Each partnership will benefit from tailored implementation plans, local capacity-building, fidelity monitoring, and outcomes tracking aligned with national policy and accreditation standards.

For pilot collaboration, speaking engagements, or proposal inquiries, contact:

For media coverage or collaboration opportunities, contact:
Jose T. Dizon
PR Publicist, Tier 3 Literacy Solutions
info@innovatorsprofessionals.com
www.innovatorsprofessionals.com

 

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