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Read to Succeed Reading Plan

Matilda F. Dunston Elementary School           2024-2025

Directions:  Please provide a narrative response for Sections A-I.

LETRS Questions:

·         How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS?: 6

·         How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS?: 11

·         How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year (or have not yet started or completed Volume 1)?: 1 has started volume one and 6 have not registered or started yet

Section A: Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all PreK-5th grade students in the school includes oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards.

In grades CD-2nd teachers are using Heggerty’s. These fast, fun, and effective daily lessons deliver explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and early literacy skills. Through our new reading curriculum Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) students are taught skills lessons in grades K-2 to learn explicit phonics instruction. Teachers complete progress monitoring checkpoints for phonics throughout the skills lessons.  In grades 3-5 teachers will be using UFLI Foundations to target phonics skills that their students need to master. In grades K-5 Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach establishes a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension. Lessons include daily opportunities for speaking and listening through activities related to content rich core vocabulary words. Students are assessed at the end of each Knowledge unit on comprehension and core vocabulary.

Section B: Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5th grade students are further aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy and foundational literacy skills.

The word recognition assessment is one component of the CKLA placement assessments. Students in grades 3-5 who have significant decoding concerns will need to administer further testing in addition to multisyllabic words. These teachers will be using the CORE phonics survey. These assessments will assist teachers in identifying which phonics skills need to be taught. Our reading interventionists did additional diagnostic assessments on their students using the LETRS assessment for phonics and the PAST assessments for phonological awareness.

Section C:  Document how the school uses universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data to determine targeted pathways of intervention (word recognition or language comprehension) for students in PreK-5th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency. 

Our intervention team analyzed the iReady reading diagnostic results to determine which students scored in the 25th percentile and below. Then they assessed those students using Fastbridge CBM, nonsense word fluency, and letter sounds fluency. Students that qualified for intervention were grouped according to skill level. If students need phonics intervention they are placed in a group using SPIRE or Magnetic Foundations. If students need language comprehension they are placed in a group using Magnetic Reading.

Section D: Describe the system in place to help parents in your school understand how they can support the student as a reader and writer at home.

Teachers hold family data conferences with parents during the first quarter. Parents are given a copy of the iReady Reading and Fastbridge earlyReading family data reports for Fall scores and an information sheet explaining how to read the reports. These reports will inform parents of student progress and provide ways they can support at home. We will send these reports home after the Winter and Spring assessments as well. We will host a literacy night for families to learn about the curriculum and how they can help their child learn to read. Information will be sent home for CD-1st grade parents to give examples of how they can develop their child’s oral language skills. Caregiver letters will be sent home at the beginning of each CKLA Knowledge Unit to inform parents of what they are learning about and how they can have conversations at home about these topics.

Section E: Document how the school provides for the monitoring of reading achievement and growth at the classroom and school level with decisions about PreK-5th grade intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading.

Our school effectively monitors reading achievement and growth for pre-k-5th grade students through the use of systematic data collection, analysis and intervention strategies to promote increasing reading achievement.  In Child Development (4 year olds) our teachers administer the myIGDIs assessments three times a year during fall, winter, and spring.  Child Development teachers will also monitor progress throughout the year using the Heggerty’s Letter Name and Sound formative assessment. Kindergarten and First Grade teachers administer FastBridge earlyReading three times per year (fall, winter, and spring) on the foundational skills. First-Fifth grade teachers administer iReady Reading three times per year (fall, winter, and spring) to on foundational skills, vocabulary, and comprehension.  This assessment places students on individual pathways, which are monitored and adjusted throughout the year.

Section F: Describe how the school provides teacher training based in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills to support all students in PreK-5th grade.

Teachers are supported by the school and district to attend LETRS training. Teachers are also trained on our new ELA curriculum, CKLA, which is also aligned to the science of reading. The Literacy Coach works with teachers to offer personalized support, provide feedback on instruction, and provides professional development in the area of literacy.

Section G: Analysis of Data

Strengths

Possibilities for Growth

·         Weekly PLC and common planning allows for teachers to collaboratively plan for structured and foundational literacy instruction.

·         Teachers use the new South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards when planning instruction.

·         Teachers provide large blocks of time for instruction and practice in order for students to sustain work on reading, writing, and researching.

·         Teachers use a comprehensive formative assessment system. Assessments include screening, diagnostic, and progress monitoring to identify students’ instructional needs.

·         Train remaining teachers in the Science of Reading, including 4th and 5th grade teachers since students in those grade levels may have deficiencies in reading.

  • Work with teachers on monitoring and adjusting iReady Reading pathways for individual students and assigning specific lessons for extra practice.
  • Teachers and students collaborate to set measurable short-term goals aimed at growing students’ reading behaviors and make strategic plans outlining how these goals will be accomplished.
  • Implement a walk to read model in First Grade to accelerate student learning and close the gaps with our foundational standards.

 Section H:  Previous School Year SMART Goals and Progress Toward Those Goals

  • Please provide your school’s goals from last school year and the progress your school has made towards these goals. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to determine progress toward the goal (s). As a reminder, all schools serving third grade were required to use Goal #1 (below).

Goals

Progress

Goal #1 (Third Grade Goal):

Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring Does Not Meet in the spring of 2023 as determined by SC READY from 60.3% to 56% in the spring of 2024.

 

We reduced the percentage of third graders who did not meet from 60.3% to 52.5% as measured by SC Ready Spring 2024. We met our goal.

Goal #2:

 

 

 

Goal #3:

 

 

 

 Section I: Current SMART Goals and Action Steps Based on Analysis of Data

  • All schools serving students in third grade MUST respond to the third-grade reading proficiency goal. Schools that do not serve third grade students may choose a different goal. Schools may continue to use the same SMART goals from previous years or choose new goals. Goals should be academically measurable. The Reflection Tool may be helpful in determining action steps to reach an academic goal. Schools are strongly encouraged to incorporate goals from the strategic plan.

Goals

Progress

Goal #1 (Third Grade Goal):

Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring Does Not Meet in the spring of 2024 as determined by SC READY from 52.5% to 48% in the spring of 2025.

 

 

 

Goal #2 Increase the percentage of First Grade students on or above grade level from 9% to 24% as measured by the iready phonics domain.

 

 

 

 

Goal #3: