Port Washington outlines multi‑year shift to structured literacy, targets lower subgroup scores

Port Washington Union Free School District officials presented a three‑year plan to move elementary reading instruction to a structured‑literacy model and said the shift is intended to raise overall proficiency and address persistent gaps for English language learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students.

Dr. Borsella, the district administrator for literacy, told the Board that "literacy is more than just reading," adding that instruction must include reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension and cover digital literacy. Juanita Diaz, the district director of elementary curriculum, presented recent local screening data and implementation steps the district will take over the next three years.

The presentation framed the change around the "science of reading," a body of research the presenters said calls for systematic, explicit phonics and foundation skills. "Our instruction needs to be scientifically based in grades pre K to 3," Dr. Borsella said, linking the approach to New York Education Law 818, which requires districts to align early‑grade literacy practices with state guidance and submit an attestation to the State.

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