STRIVE: Science of Reading Grades 4-12 is a Minnesota READ Act Phase 2-approved professional development program designed to equip educators in grades 4-12 with the knowledge, strategies, and tools necessary to implement evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the Science of Reading. The training totals approximately 35 hours, consisting of 30 hours of self-paced asynchronous online learning delivered through the Kajabi platform and five hours of facilitated synchronous virtual sessions led by the district's Local Literacy Lead.

The training is intentionally sequenced to move participants from immediate classroom application into deeper theoretical understanding. STRIVE opens with disciplinary literacy, giving teachers practical, content-specific reading strategies they can use right away. From there, the training builds capacity in data-driven instructional decision-making, followed by a deep dive into each essential literacy component: reading comprehension, vocabulary development, fluency, phonics and word recognition, and phonological and morphological awareness.

The seven online modules are sequenced to align with three virtual synchronous sessions: Modules 1-3 are completed before Session 1, Modules 4-6 before Session 2, and Module 7 before Session 3. Each module includes embedded knowledge checks requiring a passing score of 80% or higher, ensuring content mastery before participants advance and before each synchronous session.

The three virtual sessions are facilitated by the district's Local Literacy Lead and serve as structured application checkpoints where participants share classroom implementation experiences, collaborate around student data, and engage in lesson planning aligned to the MnMTSS Framework and the Secondary Playbook. Delivery strategies include explicit instruction in Science of Reading components, modeling of evidence-based instructional routines, collaborative peer discussion, data-driven reflection protocols, and application-based planning tasks. Participants also receive the Striving Readers Data System and an Active Participation Kit to support engagement and classroom transfer throughout the training.