Hillsboro reports gains in first-grade phonics; board warned funding limits could slow progress

Hillsboro School District 1J staff reported measurable gains in first‑grade phonics and foundational reading skills on Monday and described the instructional steps and grants that officials say helped produce the improvement.

At a board meeting update, staff compared winter 2024 and winter 2025 phonics survey results and said the share of first graders meeting key foundational reading skills rose across most categories. "We have made a lot of growth from last year to this year," Gina McClain, the district's director of teaching and learning, said as she presented the results.

Why it matters: The board has prioritized third‑grade literacy as a strategic goal, and staff said gains in early grades (preK–2) are essential to meeting third‑grade targets. Board members applauded the progress but cautioned that continuing gains depend on sustained funding for curriculum, assessments and staffing.

Key findings and supports reported - Assessment results: Staff reported increases across multiple phonics tasks. For example, items described as "digraphs" showed a roughly 26 percentage‑point increase year over year; the district's Hispanic/Latinx subgroup showed double‑digit gains (about +26.3% in several categories); students receiving special education showed gains in later categories (noted as up 43% in one slide). Staff noted that smaller first‑grade enrollment this year affects absolute counts. - Curriculum and instruction: The district cited use of the Wonders/Maravillas core curriculum, a supplemental phonics program (UFLI or similar supplemental materials) funded by an early literacy grant, 90‑minute literacy blocks, targeted intervention materials, PLCs (professional learning communities) and professional development including a "science of the bilingual reading brain" training for staff in dual‑language schools. - Targeted supports: Students not proficient by spring screening are invited to a targeted early‑literacy summer program; staff said the district will use spring assessment results to finalize invitations.

Budget and capacity concerns - Staff and board members warned that continued progress depends on funding. The district identified special education absorption costs of about $8,300,000 per year and said the share of students accessing special education is roughly 14.9% of enrollment. Board members said reduced resources could limit the district's ability to maintain interventions and curriculum purchases. - Staff noted that the district received a summer school grant of approximately $1,000,000 to support high-dose tutoring and summer learning programs.

Questions from the board and community - Board members asked about class size and teacher capacity; staff said average first‑grade class size is about 42.1 students and described efforts to keep instruction targeted via small groups and interventions. - Board members and student representatives praised the bilingual instruction approach and asked staff to continue sharing assessment details with PACs so families understand what is being taught and how to support practice at home.

Context and next steps - Staff said they will continue grade‑level collaboration, PLCs and professional development in foundational skills and bilingual reading, and will use assessment cycles (fall, winter, spring) to adjust instruction. The board was urged to continue supporting strategic investments in early literacy and bilingual instruction.

Ending note: Board members celebrated the results and urged continued advocacy for funding to sustain gains and continue reducing disparities in reading outcomes across subgroups.