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Perkiomen Valley board approves SIPS reading intervention after debate over past '3‑cueing' practices
Summary
After extended discussion about literacy methods and who will be served, the Perkiomen Valley School Board voted to approve purchase of the SIPS reading intervention to target struggling readers, with the district agreeing to provide progress data mid‑year.
The Perkiomen Valley School Board on June 3 approved purchase of the SIPS reading intervention, a targeted program the district says will help students who struggle with phonemic awareness, fluency and comprehension.
District staff framed the purchase as part of a districtwide move toward structured literacy and phonics after years in which some students experienced balanced‑literacy or mixed approaches. "This resource would help fill the gaps for some of those students who learned reading that way and continue to struggle," said Doctor Russell, explaining the program would serve both general education and special education students.
Board members pressed staff on two points: which students would receive the intervention and how the district would measure results. A board member expressed concern that some past methods — referenced in board materials as a "3‑cueing" approach — had "stunted" some students' reading development, asking how the board can be confident a new program will hold up to future research. Doctor Russell responded that education practice evolves and that the district is choosing approaches supported by current research, while acknowledging that practices may shift over time.
Board members asked for interim data and a touchpoint report. Doctor Russell said the district assesses students multiple times per year and could provide an early indication halfway through the year and a clearer picture two‑thirds of the way through implementation.
A motion to approve the SIPS reading intervention was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The board asked staff to return with implementation numbers and progress updates as the school year progresses.
