Read & Achieve (R&A) is a collaboration between the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®) and Ancora Publishing. The goal is to scale and evaluate the impact of The Third Quest (TTQ)—a comprehensive middle school reading intervention for students reading below grade level—on students’ reading motivation, fluency, and comprehension skills.

TTQ is a comprehensive reading intervention for middle school students who are reading below grade level. The intervention builds foundational reading skills within the context of engaging informational text and compelling narrative fiction. Aligned with practices outlined in the Institute of Education Sciences’ What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9, TTQ provides bell-to-bell instruction in word study, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, study skills, and employability skills related to perseverance, teamwork, professionalism, and integrity.

R&A is for educators and support staff working with students reading below grade level in Grades 6 and 7.

Ancora Publishing, the creator of TTQ, provides all training for R&A, including a 1-and-a-half-day summer training, a half-day coaching clinic, and two 1-and-a-half-hour workshops during the academic year (once each in the fall and spring). Participating educators also receive regular communication from Ancora on implementation tips to support their use of the program.

There is no monetary cost to participate in R&A. Districts and schools should consider how to ensure that instructional coaches can attend training sessions and who will serve as the district coordinator, the main point of contact for the study.

Once schools within a district have agreed to participate in R&A, the project team will conduct a lottery to determine which schools will implement TTQ in 2026–27 and which schools will be part of the business-as-usual group. However, all schools that commit to participate in R&A will receive TTQ professional development and materials for instructors and students. The key difference is the timing: some schools will begin implementing TTQ during the 2026–27 school year while others will begin implementing TTQ in 2027-28. All participating schools will receive the same materials, training, and support, regardless of implementation year.

Watch the video below to find out!