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PGCPS early literacy data show gaps; district to expand scoring supports, in-class intervention and high-dosage tutoring
Summary
PGCPS officials reported persistent early-literacy gaps on DIBELS and I‑Ready benchmarks, outlined fidelity and scoring supports, said two district DIBELS coaches will target struggling schools and described plans to continue high-dosage tutoring funded with grants and school funds.
Prince George's County Public Schools told the Academic Achievement Committee Monday that early-literacy screening results show persistent gaps and that the district will expand scoring refreshers, coaching, in-class interventions and high-dosage tutoring to address students identified as at-risk.
"We are currently in the window when we're administering our end of year DIBELS data," said the presentation team, noting trend data and midyear results that informed next steps.
Why it matters: district leaders said DIBELS and I‑Ready data show high rates of students scoring well below benchmarks in K–3 foundational skills; the district described targeted interventions and monitoring to accelerate skill gains.
Presenters shared midyear figures: about 61 percent of kindergarten students scored well below on the DIBELS phonemic-awareness subtest; roughly 45 percent of first graders scored well below on word fluency; about 44 percent of second graders were well below on reading fluency; and roughly 56 percent of third graders scored well below on reading comprehension. In parallel I‑Ready screening, presenters said about 50 percent of kindergarteners, 63 percent of first graders and about 60 percent of second graders performed one or more grade levels below in comparable measures; third-grade I‑Ready figures were cited near 70 percent one or more grade levels below. Presenters cautioned the two instruments are not perfectly aligned.
District adjustments for next year include quarterly scoring refreshers to improve fidelity, expanded use of two district DIBELS coaches who will conduct on-site data reviews and customized professional learning, professional development on planning targeted small-group instruction, implementation of in-class intervention modules (M-class) in comprehensive schools, and continuation and expansion of high-dosage tutoring. "We provided high dosage tutoring this year, and we want to continue that next year," presenters said, and noted tutoring arrangements vary by partner: some virtual (Amplify Tutoring during school day), some face-to-face with tutors pulling students from classes, and individual tutoring options paid for with grant funds or school-level funding.
Committee members asked how schools could access Amplify and other vendors; district staff said principals received information sessions and flyers and that a community-schools office request-for-proposals is intended to produce an approved vendor list to standardize contracting and expand district capacity. No formal adoption of contracts or new budget authorizations was made at the meeting.
