Reading Horizons
Reading Horizons Elevate is web-based intervention software for learners in fourth grade and above who need help closing reading gaps.
What Reading Horizons is
Reading Horizons Elevate is web-based intervention software for learners in fourth grade and above who need help closing reading gaps. It teaches phonics, spelling, and decoding through explicit, systematic, sequential instruction. The student portal provides independent lessons that adjust to each learner’s needs and pace, with access from home. Students receive a library, pronunciation and vocabulary resources, a dictionary, games, badges, and skill assessments. More than 80 language options support multilingual learners, including students with dyslexia and students receiving special education. Educators get manuals, lesson planning, how-to videos, an administration portal, class dashboards, reports, and ongoing professional learning. Materials include English Language Enhancement resources, posters, transfer cards, student books, and reading library books. Schools can connect through Clever or a Schoology badge. The software runs on the web.
Good
- Explicit, sequential phonics and decoding instruction
- Student software adapts to learner pace
- Over 80 language options
- Dashboards, reports, and assessments
- Home access through a web portal
Watch out
- No free plan
- School pricing varies by organization
- Web platform only
Who it suits
It suits schools supporting older learners with reading gaps, including multilingual learners, students with dyslexia, and special-education students. Educators needing phonics practice, progress reports, and structured teaching resources may find it appropriate.
Verdict
Reading Horizons Elevate combines structured literacy instruction with adaptable student software and extensive educator materials. Its paid, school-focused model is best suited to organized intervention programs rather than individual casual use.
Plans and prices
From Reading Horizons's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| At-Home software trial | $10 a month | Online software trial · 30 days; account can be cancelled before a $189 charge |
| Discovery At-Home Online Software | $199, paid once | Ages 4–9 · online software · free customer support · student evaluation and reporting · free online phonics training |
| Grades 4+ Tutoring Software | $199 a year | Two student licenses · up to 18 additional licenses at $75 each · 42 alphabet sounds · 5 phonetic skills · 2 decoding skills · Lexile library assessments · phonics screener · diagnostic and progress monitoring · 10,000+ vocabulary terms · 330 nonfiction passages · yearly renewable subscription |
| Discovery At-Home Instructor-Guided Materials | $399, paid once | Ages 4–9 · instructor-guided materials |
| Discovery At-Home Blended Instruction Bundle | $545, paid once | Ages 4–9 · software plus instructor-guided materials |
| Reading Horizons Elevate for schools and districts | Priced on request | For grades 4+; pricing varies by product needs and school or district size |
The facts
Each one read from Reading Horizons's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Assessments
- Discovery includes phonemic-awareness, Most Common Words, spelling and word-recognition assessments, while Elevate includes phonics screening, library assessment and diagnostic progress monitoring.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Discovery curriculum
- Reading Horizons Discovery is a K–3 product suite combining LIVE teacher tools, WORLD student software and COMPANION reference materials.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Reading Horizons publishes user manuals, implementation guides, tutorial videos, product guides and a searchable help center.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Educator tools
- The program includes detailed manuals, a lesson planning tool, how-to videos, an admin portal, class dashboards and reports, and ongoing professional learning.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Guarantee
- At-home products carry a 60-day money-back guarantee.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Instructional materials
- Materials include English Language Enhancement resources, classroom posters, transfer cards, student books, and reading library books.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- A Reading Horizons Elevate information sheet says users can access the software through a Clever portal or add its badge to a Schoology page.checked 7 Oct 2026
- International language support
- International learners can receive Spanish audio and written translation plus written Chinese and Japanese translation, with a pronunciation replay tool.checked 15 Oct 2026
- iPad access
- Discovery has iPad Clubhouse and Games apps that require an existing Discovery account, an iPad 2 or newer, iOS 8.1 or later and internet access.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Language support
- The intervention page says the software offers over 80 language options to support multilingual learners.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Learners
- The intervention page describes support for older learners, including multilingual learners, students with dyslexia, and students receiving special education.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Legal entity
- Crunchbase identifies the legal name as HEC Software, Inc. and the founder as Charlotte Lockhart.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Licence terms
- The terms grant personal educational use, restrict commercial use and state that the software and content remain proprietary intellectual property.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: bugs reported
- A Trustpilot reviewer reported typing failures and other software bugs while using Elevate with a dyslexic student.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: setup learning curve
- Learning Reading Hub reports that administrator setup is not especially user-friendly and takes time to learn.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: software alone
- Learning Reading Hub says the software alone may not be sufficient for struggling or dyslexic readers and works best as a supplement to instruction.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: teacher dependence
- Phonics.org reports that instruction is primarily teacher-led, with the student software used for lesson practice and skill checks.checked 15 Oct 2026
- LIVE teacher tools
- Discovery LIVE provides lesson preparation, embedded coaching, real-time assessments and student insight tools.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Multisensory instruction
- The classroom solution combines auditory, visual and kinesthetic activities to support learners.checked 15 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Browser support
- The Grades 4+ tutoring software lists Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Safari as compatible browsers.checked 15 Oct 2026
The company
- Company history
- Reading Horizons says its software development relationship began in 1984 and it acquired the curriculum copyright in 2001.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists Reading Horizons as a privately held primary and secondary education company with 51–200 employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Kaysville, Utah, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Limit: premium cost
- EveryHomeschool describes the roughly $199 software, $379 materials and $525 bundle prices as expensive for a single-child curriculum.checked 15 Oct 2026
Alternatives to Reading Horizons
- 1

Reading Mountain
Free planAndroidiOSWeb7.9From $239 a year - 2
Grafari
AndroidiOSWebLinux7.6From $20 a month - 3

DytectiveU
Free planAndroidiOSWeb7.3From €17 a month - 4
EduFlip
Free planWeb7.3From $13 a year - 5

Lexy
Free planiOSWebmacOS7.1Free plan - 6
Wordshark
AndroidiOSWebmacOS7.1From £190 a year
