At the Aug. 12 meeting of the Board of Education for the Public Schools of Robeson County, district curriculum staff presented end‑of‑year DIBELS 8 results showing notable growth for kindergarten through second grade but persistent gaps when students enter kindergarten.

"DIBELS 8 is a standardized assessment used to assess basic early literacy skills that are foundational for reading success," said Dr. Deborah Dallas, who introduced the presentation and the district literacy specialists. She reported kindergarten end‑of‑year (EOY) rates rising from about 58% to 62% to 65% over recent years and said kindergarten students in the district grew by 49% this past year compared with a 39% gain statewide.

The nut of the report: although the district is closing gaps during the school year, fewer Robeson County children enter kindergarten ready than the statewide average. Dallas said roughly 16% of recent kindergarten entrants were projected to be at grade level at the start of the year, versus about 33% statewide. "Our students in kindergarten, though, are making great gains throughout the year," Dallas said.

District staff reviewed additional grade‑level measures. First‑grade EOY percentages rose over multiple years (examples cited in the presentation: roughly 36% to the mid‑50s). Second‑grade EOY rates moved from the mid‑30s to about 51% across the period shown. Bullard and Demery, district literacy staff, said first‑grade growth patterns sometimes stalled between beginning‑ and middle‑of‑year benchmarks at several schools; they attributed that to uneven targeting of foundational skills and to several schools exhibiting declines that masked gains elsewhere.

"We will have a monitoring team that actually has to go through and vet those IRPs to ensure that teachers have selected the right skill to focus on," Dallas said, describing a new district step to improve Individualized Reading Plans (IRPs) and speed interventions.

Board members pressed for explanations and next steps. Superintendent Dr. Williamson and other members said the data bolster longstanding arguments for expanding pre‑K: "Your question really builds a case for universal pre‑K," Williamson said, noting the district currently serves about 900 pre‑K students compared with an average of about 1,600 children in kindergarten, which leaves many children without pre‑K preparation.

Why this matters: early literacy skill deficits are linked to later reading comprehension and to the district’s performance on third‑grade reading end‑of‑grade tests. Staff said DIBELS 8 measures word‑recognition and related subskills, and that language comprehension — which drives later reading comprehension on third‑grade tests — requires different, longer‑term supports.

Staff listed several follow‑up efforts: targeted monitoring of IRPs, training to help teachers select foundational skills rather than prematurely targeting higher skills, and expanded K–5 strategies to bridge foundational instruction into third‑through‑fifth‑grade work. The presentation was an informational item; no formal board action was taken on curricular policy at this meeting.

Details reported by staff: kindergarten EOY progress figures (58% → 62% → 65% across multiple years), district kindergarten entrants projected at grade level (examples cited: 10% to 16% in recent years), kindergarten year growth (49% vs. state 39%), second‑grade EOY moving from roughly 35% to 51% over the period shown, and roughly 900 pre‑K enrollees compared with an average 1,600 kindergarten students districtwide.

Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the curriculum presentation and the board discussion; the presentation materials shown to the board were described as reflecting four school years of district and state benchmark data.