Ocean Township presents data-driven early literacy work; officials cite gains in K–3 benchmarks

Michelle Shapiro, the district staff member who supervises early-literacy instruction in the Township of Ocean School District, told the Board of Education that the district has combined its adopted core curriculum with multisensory approaches, universal screening and coaching to improve early-reading outcomes.

Shapiro said the district adopted the McGraw Hill WONDERS literacy program in 2016–17 and layered multisensory training based on IMSE Orton-Gillingham methods for K–3 teachers. She said the district uses DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) as a universal screener and stores assessment results in the LinkIt platform to guide instruction and interventions.

The presentation summarized years of work with Rutgers and the New Jersey Department of Education on tiered reading supports and a Data Driven Instructional Coaching Model (DDICM) grant. Shapiro said those partnerships provided assessment protocols, coaching structures and targeted intervention routines used by school-based coaches and interventionists.

Shapiro presented benchmark data showing improvement since pre-pandemic measures: kindergarten winter benchmark performance reported rising from about 41.1% at or above benchmark in winter 2019–20 to roughly 60% in the most recent winter, with average letter-sound scores moving from 24 to 32. First-grade results improved from about 45.8% to 74.3% at or above benchmark; second-grade benchmark rates were reported near 76.7%; and third-grade phonics benchmarks rose to about 78.1% in the most recent snapshot.

Shapiro credited classroom instruction, daily small-group differentiation, job-embedded coaching and progress monitoring for the gains. She also described an intervention cycle: data review at district, school and classroom levels; diagnostic assessment for students flagged by the screener; six- to eight-week targeted interventions; and progress monitoring with adjustments as required.

Board members responded with praise and questions about materials and next steps. Several members commended the district coaches named in the presentation—Brittney Brannigan, Janice McDowell and Megan Haines—and thanked Shapiro for the data-driven approach. One parent in the virtual queue asked why the district still licenses WONDERS when many teachers praise multisensory methods; Shapiro explained that WONDERS provides the district’s scope and sequence while IMSE/Orton-Gillingham supplies a multisensory methodology used alongside the adopted program.

Shapiro noted two state bills signed by the governor in August 2024 that will require statewide screeners and parent notification beginning in school year 2025–26; she said the district already follows those protocols. She also said the district is concluding a multi-year grant period and expects to continue applying screening and coaching protocols.

The board asked staff to follow up on several questions raised during the Q&A and public comment, and Shapiro said she would provide requested clarifications after the meeting.