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Wichita Public Schools shifts kindergarten instruction to ‘letter‑a‑day’ routine to boost early literacy
Summary
Wichita Public Schools presented changes to its kindergarten literacy program — replacing 'letter of the week' with a cyclical 'letter‑a‑day' routine, a structured 60‑minute word‑recognition block and expanded professional learning for kindergarten teachers — and reported gains on screener data over recent years.
Wichita Public Schools told the Kansas State Board of Education on Aug. 12 that a districtwide shift in kindergarten literacy instruction — from a traditional “letter of the week” approach to a structured “letter‑a‑day” cycle incorporated into a 60‑minute word‑recognition block — has produced measurable growth on literacy screeners.
The presenters from USD 259 described a multi‑year professional‑learning effort that changed kindergarten pacing, introduced an “Alphabet Knowledge Routine” (AKR) PowerPoint for teachers, and built district‑level coaching and teacher‑in‑service events focused on structured literacy and LETRS‑based methodologies.
Why it matters: Research and…
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