A parent looking for reading support needs more than the name of a program. They need to understand what their child will learn, how to help between sessions, and where to turn with questions. Read With Kourtni Literacy Academy was created to bring those pieces together in a community setting.
The Academy model brings structured reading instruction, family guidance, and progress monitoring together for Texas families. Our aim is to make the next step easier to understand for families who are looking for help.
The name has changed and the purpose continues
If you first heard about the pilot as Read to Rise, Read With Kourtni Literacy Academy is its new name. The purpose of the pilot continues: helping children build reading skills while giving families practical guidance they can use.
The Literacy Academy page is the place to check current Academy information. Families can also find an Academy overview in Spanish.
Instruction with a clear purpose
Our planned approach combines explicit, systematic, multisensory instruction with family guidance. The instructional model connects sounds and print, builds skills step by step, and includes opportunities to practice what has been taught.
The Academy is being designed around a simple expectation: families should be able to explain what their child is working on. A conversation about progress should make the learning goal clearer, rather than leave a parent with more unfamiliar terminology.
A practical connection between sessions and home
Families should not have to guess what to practice after a lesson. The model includes guidance intended to connect work at home with the skills introduced during instruction.
Before joining, families can ask what materials will be provided, what participation is expected, and how questions will be handled between sessions. These details matter when deciding whether a program fits a household’s schedule and needs.
Progress that families can discuss
Progress monitoring is part of the planned Academy model. Our goal is to use information about learning to support conversations with families and guide instruction. Participation alone should not be presented as proof of a particular reading outcome.
The Academy is designed to connect instruction with family support in community settings. As we consider future campuses, we want the experience of families and evidence from the program to inform those decisions. Expansion is an ambition, not an announcement of additional locations.
Meet the founder
The Academy grows from the work of Kourtni Sampson, M.Ed., LDT, CALT, founder of Read With Kourtni. Kourtni is a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist and Certified Academic Language Therapist with more than 20 years of classroom experience in Mississippi and Texas.
Her experience informs RWK’s focus on structured reading support and understandable family guidance. The Academy extends that purpose into a community-based model.
How families and community partners can take the next step
Families can ask about the Academy, including current participation details and whether the Academy model may fit their child. Dates, eligibility, and availability should be confirmed with RWK before making plans.
Schools, early childhood programs, and community organizations can share the Academy information page with interested caregivers. Please have families contact RWK directly rather than send a child’s educational records through an informal referral.
To discuss a referral or learn more, contact [email protected] or call 281.836.4224. Families seeking individual services can also explore RWK’s reading support services.