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Kyrene outlines early‑literacy push aiming for 85% of students at grade level by 2027–28
Summary
District leaders presented a multi‑pronged early‑literacy strategy—new curriculum supports, LETRS professional development, smaller K‑2 classes and monthly data teams—and reported midyear gains on kindergarten DIBELS that district staff say outpace national comparators.
Kyrene School District presented an expanded early‑literacy strategy at its March 25 governing‑board meeting, with district leaders saying the goal is to have at least 85% of students in kindergarten through third grade meeting end‑of‑year reading benchmarks by the 2027–28 school year.
District staff said the plan combines high‑quality instructional materials, targeted professional development and changes to scheduling and class size to strengthen foundational decoding and comprehension skills.
The district framed the effort as part of its strategic plan. Dr. Lane, who led the presentation on the early‑literacy initiative, said the work centers on prioritizing pre‑K to third‑grade instruction and increasing access to “high‑quality early literacy experiences” so students are reading at or above grade level by third grade.
Dr. Collins, the preschool‑through‑third‑grade director, walked the board through benchmark goals and recent results. He said kindergarten baseline performance for 2022–23 was 74% at end of year and rose…
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