Radford reports midyear VALS literacy gains; more students moved out of high-risk band

Jane Cox, presenting midyear VALS (Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System) data, told the board that the district saw improvements between fall and midyear assessments: fewer students were in the high-risk band and more students were in the low-risk band for reading difficulties.

Cox explained VALS measures decoding (reading words), encoding (spelling) and language; students are assigned to high-, moderate- or low-risk bands that guide interventions. “Students in the high risk band are already at significant difficulty,” Cox explained, and those students qualify for individualized reading plans and extra intervention (she said high-risk students receive about two and a half extra hours per week from the Title team).

The nut graf: Midyear results showed measurable movement from high risk to lower risk bands in kindergarten through grade levels tested, with kindergarten notable for an increase in students assigned to the low-risk band. Cox said specific counts included dozens of students moving out of the high-risk band at multiple grade levels and highlighted that approximately 58 percent of kindergartners were now in the low-risk band.

Cox cautioned that not all grades test every student; some grades tested only students already of concern or who had received summer intervention, which affects percentage interpretations. Board members asked how the district compared with the CIP consortium; Cox said Radford was roughly in the middle of the pack at the start of the year and that midyear comparative data had been submitted for analysis.

Ending: Cox said the district will continue to monitor progress and report end-of-year results; board members praised staff and teachers for the work that produced the midyear gains.