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Watson Primary reports midyear K–2 literacy gains; state Atlas screener data remain inconsistent
Summary
Watson Primary teachers and administrators told the Huntsville School District board on Jan. 7 that K–2 literacy measures show growth in several early-reading skills at midyear, but district leaders cautioned that the new state Atlas K–2 screener produced inconsistent results and some kindergarten data were invalidated statewide.
Watson Primary administrators reported midyear gains in several foundational K–2 reading measures at the Huntsville School District board meeting on Jan. 7, while warning that a new state assessment produced unreliable data for some groups.
Administrators said the school is using three assessment systems to guide instruction: the new Atlas K–2 screener the state recently introduced; Acadience (formerly DIBELS) as a universal screener; and teacher-created common formative assessments (CFAs). Jennifer, who presented the report, said Atlas is "building the plane while they're flying it," noting that state officials have canceled or rescheduled some interim windows and invalidated a large section of kindergarten data statewide.
Despite concerns about Atlas, Watson Primary reported specific midyear improvements. First sound fluency rose from 46% at the beginning of the year to 69% at midyear in kindergarten, and correct letter-sounds met or exceeded prior-year midyear levels in several measures. Kindergarten letter‑ID correct climbed from 1% in September to 37% in October, with a midyear target of 75% reached, the presenter said. Nonsense-word fluency in kindergarten and first grade showed gains over last year in several submeasures; first-grade oral reading fluency and accuracy were each up about 5–6 percentage points from last year.
School leaders described the instructional response when screeners identify students needing support: validation of screener results, tiered interventions (Tier 2 and Tier 3), frequent progress monitoring, and PLC-driven instructional adjustments. Presenters emphasized daily small-group reading instruction as a district non‑negotiable and noted work to increase students' practice time and automaticity.
Second grade showed weaker midyear growth in some fluency and accuracy measures; presenters said teachers have identified pacing and curriculum pacing differences as possible causes and planned to revisit pacing and specific curricular moves during PLC meetings.
Administrators also presented the percent of students receiving intensive intervention and said district staff will continue to use diagnostic assessments to target instruction and monitor outcomes. The board asked clarifying questions about Atlas classroom resources and rollout; presenters said some Atlas online resources and classroom tools are not yet fully available at all grade levels.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation; it was provided as an informational update.
The presentation and board discussion covered the scope of midyear assessments, limitations of the new Atlas screener, concrete midyear gains in kindergarten and first grade, and remedial steps planned for second grade.
