Park City schools present 2025-26 early learning plan; district to continue literacy rollout and refocus state-mandated goal-setting on math

Park City School District staff presented the district'wide early learning plan for 2025—26 at the Board of Education work session, describing how the district will track K—3 reading and math benchmarks, continue implementation of newly adopted literacy materials and target computation skills in primary grades. Amy Jenkins, executive director of teaching and learning, said the district follows state-required assessment windows and reporting and that the first Acadience (formerly DIBELS) screening window opens next week. "We test three times a year in reading and math," Jenkins said, describing tiered interventions for students who do not meet benchmarks and the district'level supports for teachers. Jenkins and Katie McGann, the district literacy specialist, summarized last year's Acadience results and the first-year effects of a major K—3 literacy adoption. Jenkins said Park City's K—3 composite literacy score moved from 61 percent to 63 percent year over year, short of an 8-percentage-point target the district had set. "We did not meet our 8% goal," Jenkins said, adding that the district replaced core phonics instruction for K—3 and provided implementation coaching to teachers. She told the board the district considers a 2-point gain a positive result during a heavy implementation year. McGann said the Utah State Board of Education has a statewide goal that 70 percent of third graders read on grade level by 2027; Park City retains a district strategic target to have 90 percent of third graders reach or exceed the green benchmark on Acadience by 2028. McGann reported recent grade-level results the staff cited to the board: kindergarten 81 percent, first grade 66 percent, second grade 78 percent and third grade 86 percent on the district's core literacy composite (Acadience) assessments. The transcript indicates the district uses a state-provided baseline of 60 percent that triggers extra state support if a grade falls below that level. Staff also described math goals: the state-directed early-learning plan this year emphasized computation skills in third grade and first grade. John (math specialist) and other staff said they will update learning progressions and coherence maps, provide teachers with aligned tier 1 and tier 2 resources, and ask teachers to use varied assessment formats so students practice demonstrating learning in multiple ways. The district plans professional development and coaching targeted at teachers who deliver math in the dual-language immersion (DLI) side of elementary schools. District staff said the K—3 literacy adoption (95 Percent Group phonics for K—3 and Wit & Wisdom/Knowledge-building materials for grades 4—8) remains in year two of implementation, with multi-year professional coaching from curriculum providers. The district also said it had adopted an ancillary digital tool, Amira, an automated reading tutor that listens to students read aloud; staff described that product as having "an AI component" that provides immediate decoding feedback but said it is not part of the district's core program. Board members asked about class-size impacts from open enrollment and whether larger classes would affect implementation; staff said they will monitor Acadience results closely and provide midyear updates if needed. Staff offered to return in October with state comparison data once the Utah Department of Education releases school and district rankings. The presentation was informational. Staff said they had submitted past attainment surveys to the state and would file required plan materials and assurances (including the literacy-materials adoption assurance required by 2022 Senate Bill 127) as part of the state review process before the applicable deadlines.