Grand Rapids school board approves local literacy plan after curriculum report on screenings and training

The Grand Rapids Public School District board approved the district's 2024'25 local literacy plan after hearing a Teaching and Learning Curriculum Indicator Report from district curriculum staff.

District literacy lead Carol Copp and K'5 curriculum lead Jill Wheelock told the board the teaching and learning department has focused this year on districtwide curriculum coherence, expanded teacher coaching and walkthroughs, and more cross-district collaboration. Copp said the district now has "consistent, high quality ELA instruction for reading and writing implemented in grades K'8," and noted that state requirements for evidence-based practices guide the work.

The report identified several measurable results: preliminary spring STAR screener proficiency rates of 61.3% in third grade, 61.4% in fourth grade and 63.4% in fifth grade; and a reported growth pattern from fall to spring with at least a 5% increase in some grades. Copp said the district serves about 3,860 students and provided site-level breakdowns in the packet.

Copp described a planned transition in foundational reading curriculum: the district is moving from Orton'Gillingham (OG) toward UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Initiative) for K'3 foundational instruction after data showed a plateau in K'2 growth. "It also offers a more cost…