Rochester Public Schools outlines K–12 literacy plan, emphasizes FastBridge screening and tiered supports

Rochester Public Schools presented a districtwide literacy plan to the school board on Aug. 19 that centers on use of the FastBridge universal screener for grades 2–12, implementation of evidence-based curricula and a three-tier model of supports for students who need additional intervention.

District leaders said the plan aligns with the Minnesota READ Act’s expectation that students be reading at grade level and identifies the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) and the ACT as the primary “North Star” performance measures for the district. In the short term, the district will use FastBridge as an early-warning tool and add the state-approved Read Basics screener for students who screen at risk; Read Basics is scheduled to roll out in January of the school year.

Why it matters: Board members and staff framed the work as urgent because early-grade reading proficiency affects later achievement and graduation. Presenters said FastBridge is actionable at the classroom level but is not a summative measure comparable to MCAs or the ACT.

The plan and targets District staff recommended system targets tied to state summative tests: a 1.5 percentage-point increase in MCA grade‑level proficiency systemwide and a 1 percentage-point gain on the ACT reading assessment. Staff said the 1.5 percentage‑point MCA target roughly equals about 125…