Critical Reading is a two-semester course designed to accelerate reading growth by strengthening comprehension outcomes in high school grades. In a context of meaningful content, ongoing assessment, and focused explicit instruction, students will evaluate fiction and nonfiction texts and multicultural literature of diverse formats (e.g., print media, Web-based texts, fiction and nonfiction books and articles) and genres. In addition students will engage in differentiated learning activities tied to a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts with increasing complexity. Students will also demonstrate literacy competence through purposeful application of knowledge and skills from this course, based on individual and collective literacy goals. Critical Reading does not require Arkansas Department of Education approval.