A Research-Based Literacy Instruction MTSS for Juvenile Correctional Facilities.

This article focuses on identifying distinct literacy profiles of adolescent males in a long-term juvenile correctional facility (JCF) to inform more effective English Language Arts (ELA) instruction. Using latent profile analysis on a sample of 370 youth, three literacy Classes were identified: average literacy abilities (36%), below-average literacy abilities (55%), and substantially below-average literacy abilities (8%), with the latter group showing an overrepresentation of youth with emotional disturbance (ED) and specific learning disability (SLD). The study highlights that youth in JCF have overall lower literacy skills compared to traditional school populations, underscoring the need for a differentiated, multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) tailored to their unique literacy needs. The findings suggest organizing ELA instruction by literacy ability rather than solely by age or grade, and emphasize the importance of evidence-based literacy interventions and professional development for JCF educators.