The Palmetto Education Summit 2026

By the time students reach the upper elementary and secondary levels, an assumption is made that all students are automatic and accurate with decoding. But what happens when the foundational floor drops out? For many students, reading difficulties that were once hidden emerge. This session tackles the phenomenon of Late-Emerging Reading Difficulties. We will move beyond the myth that literacy intervention is "too late" for older students and instead focus on the evidence-backed instructional shifts required to accelerate growth. We'll examine how to diagnose the root cause of comprehension issues, explore the type of instruction that will accelerate student mastery of these foundational skills, and discuss the systems level decisions that are needed to drive instructional practice and ensure student success.