“Finally Seen” — A Story of Literacy, Pressure, and the Power of Being Met Where You Are

When the I-Read scores were announced in her third-grade classroom, Alani didn’t look up.

She had gotten off the bus that morning hearing the whispers from her peers—who passed, who didn’t. By the time her name was called, she already knew. The test, which determines whether Indiana third graders are promoted to fourth grade, had been too hard. Not because Alani isn’t smart—far from it. She notices every detail, asks deep, insightful questions during science lessons, and can hold a conversation with adults twice her age. But when the task is reading a passage and answering questions, she shuts down. Her shoulders fold in, her eyes dart away, and her voice disappears.

Her teacher had announced the scores aloud in class. Just like that, a line was drawn between the “passers” and the “non-passers.” Between pride and shame.

The pressure starts early in Indiana—officially in third grade, but the truth is, the skills students need to pass I-Read should be built in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade. Waiting until third grade to act is like trying to fix a leaky roof in the middle of a storm. For students like Alani, the system sets the clock and then blames them for not learning how to tell time.

But something shifted the following week. After hearing Alani's name and seeing her sad eyes, one of our afterschool program partners flagged her for 1:1 intervention with a TILT reading specialist. We set her up with a tutor who could finally meet her at her level.

After just one session, Alani didn’t want to leave. The next day, she sat in the program director’s office, waiting eagerly, asking, “Is my tutor here yet?”

She was being seen—not for the score she didn’t achieve, but for the skills she hadn't yet had the chance to master. Her joy returned. Her confidence started to grow. Her questions expanded from "Will I pass?" to "Can we read more?"

This is what TILT was created for. Our mission—to meet students where they are and help them become who they’re meant to be—exists so that no more Alanis are left feeling broken by a system that didn't give them what they needed when it mattered most.

Through preschool visibility, early foundational support, and 1:1 targeted interventions—we're not waiting for students to fall. We’re building bridges before the gaps become chasms. We believe no child should ever feel ashamed of where they are. Because with the right tools, the right time, and the right support, every child can learn to read—and love it.