Reading and writing skills are the essential ingredients in almost every subject taught in school. While many reading specialists and researchers may argue about the best approach to teach these basic skills, there is one thing they, and the research, agree on. If a child does not know how to read and write by the end of the third grade, that child is clearly at risk. In our desire to achieve the greatest success with the largest number of children placed in our charge, we must overcome the school-based obstacles that place children at risk. The way to ensure that no child is left behind is to ensure that reading and writing are effectively taught.