Congratulations to Tumbleweed Publishing!
Their structured literacy decodable readers have been approved as a supplemental provider on the Colorado READ Act Advisory List of Instructional Programming for Phonics and Word Study in Grades 2 and 3.
This is a meaningful milestone — and one that reflects what happens when intentional, research-based product design meets a rigorous state review process.
What the Colorado READ Act Requires
Colorado’s Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act focuses on early literacy for students in kindergarten through third grade, with particular attention to those reading below grade level. The Colorado Department of Education maintains an advisory list of approved instructional programs that districts can purchase using READ Act per pupil funds. To land on that list, programs must demonstrate alignment with the Science of Reading and evidence-based practices across key areas of literacy instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
Being approved on this list means Colorado districts can now use their READ Act funding to purchase Tumbleweed decodables as a supplemental phonics and word study resource for second and third graders — a practical and significant door to open.
Why This Matters for Tumbleweed
Tumbleweed Publishing designs materials specifically for neurodiverse learners and striving readers. Their decodable readers stand out for several research-grounded design features: text and images are intentionally separated so students derive meaning from words rather than pictures, high-frequency words are bolded for visual scaffolding, and extra spacing supports the visual processing challenges common in students with dyslexia and ADHD. Each reader pairs a fiction and nonfiction text on the same topic, with structured literacy activities addressing all five pillars of reading instruction.
What makes this approval noteworthy is that Tumbleweed’s approach directly aligns with what Colorado is prioritizing: explicit, systematic phonics instruction grounded in the Science of Reading, delivered through materials that meet the needs of the students who need the most support.
Building Evidence, Opening Doors
State approval lists like Colorado’s READ Act are increasingly where purchasing decisions begin. Districts operating under tight budgets and accountability requirements look to these lists as a starting point for choosing programs that have been vetted for quality and evidence alignment.
For Tumbleweed, this approval validates the research foundation behind their materials and opens access to Colorado’s K-3 literacy market. It’s the kind of credential that builds momentum — one state approval often supports applications to other states with similar evidence requirements.
At LXD Research, we worked with Tumbleweed to document the research basis underlying their materials through an ESSA Evidence Packet (see below), connecting the extensive body of learning science research to Tumbleweed’s specific design decisions. That foundational research documentation played a key role in demonstrating the alignment of evidence needed for state-level review.
What Comes Next
For literacy publishers and curriculum companies watching from the sidelines, Tumbleweed’s path illustrates an important principle: building your evidence base doesn’t always start with a large-scale efficacy study. Sometimes the most strategic first step is to document the research that already informs your materials — and then leverage that documentation to pursue state approvals, certifications, and market access.
Congratulations again to the Tumbleweed Publishing team. Colorado’s striving readers are better served with more high-quality, evidence-aligned options on the approved list.
Interested in getting your program on state approval lists? Contact us to discuss how to build and document the evidence base that opens doors.
Learn more about Tumbleweed Publishing at tumbleweedpublishing.com.