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District outlines literacy strategy, expansion of science-of-reading training and adolescent literacy work
Summary
District literacy leaders described multi-year professional learning, subcommittees and midyear assessment results showing gains in early-grade literacy; the presentation included plans to expand training to grades 6-9 and work on parent engagement and multilingual learner supports.
District literacy leaders presented a multi-year plan and midyear assessment data showing progress in early-grade reading and a planned expansion of professional development into adolescent literacy.
Doctor Jen Perry and Kara Metcalfe described the District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT), its five subcommittees (professional learning, communication, adolescent literacy, parent engagement and others), and a partnership visit supported by the Achievement Network and Schusterman Foundation focused on "what is an LPS student's experience in literacy across pre-K through grade 12." The district said the visit reviewed six schools and provided recommendations on clarifying a district-wide instructional vision, strengthening teacher practice tied to curriculum, elevating multilingual and linguistically sustaining practices, and aligning external partnerships to district priorities.
District presenters said Lawrence has adopted high-quality instructional materials across roughly all classrooms and has been running multi-year professional learning on "science of reading" approaches. Training began with pre-K through grade 2 (2022-23), expanded to K-5 (2023-24) and will add grades 6 through 9 this year under an adolescent literacy initiative; the goal is to move schools toward internal sustainability of coaching while continuing multi-year professional learning and progress monitoring.
The district shared midyear assessment snapshots: DIBELS (a screening/benchmark tool) midyear scores showed 39% of students at or above benchmark districtwide (an increase from earlier years the presenters cited), and NWEA MAP winter data showed mixed but improving trends across grades and subgroups. Presenters emphasized the kindergarten-to-grade-1 growth trajectory and said cohort tracking remains challenging because early childhood feeder patterns vary by school.
Board members asked about accountability and sustainability: how the DLLT and curriculum & instruction (C&I) department will track whether coaching continues at the school level and how turnover will be handled. The presentation team said DLLT will monitor staff training and coaching, and C&I will set expectations around coaching models and consistency. On family engagement, the district said a parent-engagement subcommittee is building resources (a parent Google Drive, flyers and materials) and exploring the parent university and larger district meetings as venues for outreach; individual schools also run literacy nights and PTA presentations.
Presenters said the district will refine the district literacy plan this spring to ensure it reads as a K-12 plan rather than a K-5 plan, and will align next steps to the four priorities identified in the external visit.
The committee received the presentation and followed with questions from members; no formal action was recorded on this item.
