> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.litlab.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Science of Reading: How LitLab Is Grounded in Research > LitLab is ESSA Tier IV certified and built around the Science of Reading — systematic phonics, fluency development, and bridging the transfer gap. LitLab is built on the Science of Reading — the body of research showing how children actually learn to read. Every feature in the platform exists to support one of three pillars: **systematic phonics**, **fluency development**, or **bridging the transfer gap** between instruction and independent reading. ## The transfer gap Most phonics programs teach a skill, then immediately move on. Students rarely get enough aligned reading practice to make that skill automatic. LitLab closes the gap by: * Putting decodable text in front of students at the exact skill they just learned * Capturing oral reading so teachers can hear target skill application * Surfacing comprehension and fluency data tied back to each skill ## Three pillars at a glance Every story is aligned to a specific lesson in your program's scope and sequence. Built-in oral reading recording and AI analysis turn every reading session into a fluency check. Questions woven throughout the story make sure decoding leads to understanding. ## ESSA Tier IV LitLab meets **ESSA Tier IV (Demonstrates a Rationale)** for evidence-based intervention. Our logic model and research base are published — see the [research summary](https://www.litlab.ai/blog/the-research-behind-litlab-our-logic-model?utm_source=help_center\&utm_medium=docs\&utm_content=science-of-reading) for the full citation list. ## Related reading * [Decodable Texts](/concepts/decodable-texts) * [Phonics Alignment](/concepts/phonics-alignment) * [Fluency Practice](/concepts/fluency-practice)