District reports double‑year gains in K–2 reading after investments in curriculum and interventions

Summary

MCPS officials told the board the percentage of second graders meeting DIBELS benchmarks rose 18 percentage points over two years after investments in foundational-skill programs, professional learning and a multi‑tiered intervention field test; staff said gains are promising but called for continued monitoring and targeted supports.

Montgomery County Public Schools officials told the board on Jan. 9 that targeted investments in early literacy — a new knowledge‑building elementary curriculum, expanded foundational‑skills instruction and pay‑for professional learning — correspond with measurable gains in early-grade reading.

Malaika Brown, elementary English language arts supervisor, summarized three years of work in grades K–2 and said the district’s dynamic indicator (DIBELS) results show improvement for the cohort now in second grade. “From the fall of their kindergarten year to the fall of their grade‑2 year, the percentage of students at or above the benchmark increased by 18 percentage points,” Brown said, adding that the increase represents almost 1,600 additional second graders reading at grade level compared with two years ago.

Officials connected the gains to three…

District reports double‑year gains in K–2 reading after investments in curriculum and interventions

Summary

Subscribe to keep reading