Huntsville intermediate students show reading gains; staff cite progress-monitoring results

An intermediate school staff member told the Huntsville School District meeting that 77% of students who began on reading progress monitoring moved up at least one level over a nine-week period, with fifth-graders showing the largest gains.

The staff member said, "Fifth grade, 86% of the kids who started in progress monitoring moved 1 level or more. 86 percent. That is a lot of movement." The presenter said the work occurred over "9 weeks, 36 days, and about 720 minutes," calling the interventions "very focused."

The results were presented as part of regular progress-monitoring updates that staff use to set instructional targets. "We're monitoring progress, and kids are growing," the presenter said, adding that teachers are using data to plan instruction and identify areas that still need improvement.

A speaker at the meeting noted that some of the students had kindergarten and first grade during the peak of COVID-19 disruptions. That speaker said, "I think it's important to point out that these are the ones that had kindergarten and first grade right in the heart of COVID," and described ongoing efforts to "catch us up."

Board members and district staff framed the results as grounds for cautious celebration. One board member said the district would "celebrate" when the intermediate school moves from a D rating to a C rating and acknowledged the amount of work required to improve school performance.

The presentation did not include formal action items or funding decisions; staff described the data and instruction plans and reiterated that some achievement gaps remain to be addressed.