Chester County reports winter assessment gains; board asked to boost 4K recruitment

Dr. Kolig, presenting the district’s curriculum and instruction report at the Feb. 24 Chester County School District Board of Trustees meeting, said winter universal screening results showed a decline in the number of kindergarten and first-grade students flagged for potential reading difficulty.

The district’s Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) reading fluency screener flagged 204 students in the fall administration and 168 in the winter administration across the grades referenced, a reduction Dr. Kolig said reflects expanded teacher training and targeted literacy supports. "We are required as a part of Act 213 ... to have a universal screener that would allow us to address MTSS," she said, referring to the state requirement for multi-tiered systems of supports. She added, "You cannot intervene your way out of a Tier 1 problem," stressing a focus on stronger core classroom instruction.

Why it matters: The screening guides interventions and state reporting requirements and helps the district target supports for early readers. Dr. Kolig described sustained professional development (including LETRS and University of Florida Literacy Institute work), structured literacy approaches aligned to Scarborough’s reading rope, and increased classroom observations as part of the district strategy to reduce the number of students needing extra intervention.

Details from the presentation: Dr. Kolig said the winter MAP screen produced a projected proficiency shift the district is tracking across grades and cohorts; she noted that while some schools showed increases, others showed cohort declines that school teams are addressing. She described the district’s effort to make Tier 1 instruction more consistent through shared pacing guides, common assessments and coaching. The presentation emphasized that MAP is an approved interim assessment and that results are reported to the State Department of Education.

Board follow-up and early-childhood concerns: A board member asked for a breakdown of how many flagged kindergarten students had attended the district’s 4K program versus those who had not; Dr. Kolig and other administrators said they would provide those numbers. The board member noted a local concern: when 5K is a child’s first formal schooling experience, that can affect screening results and intervention needs. Dr. Kolig said many of the district’s 4K classes had waiting lists in the current year and that the district is advertising for the 2025–26 4K enrollment period.

Next steps: Trustees asked for the district to supply more granular counts—including intersession participation and 4K attendance history for flagged students—so board members can evaluate whether recruitment or program expansion is needed. Dr. Kolig said the district will supply the requested follow-up data and noted ongoing classroom coaching and observations.