Anson County Schools outlines strategic plan, literacy training and a pilot high-dosage tutoring program
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Summary
District leaders told the board they completed 12 focus groups and are moving forward with strategic planning; staff described required LETRS/letters training, a close-reading emphasis and a Union County–style high-dosage tutoring pilot (3–4 students for 25–30 minutes daily) targeted for expansion by the 2026–27 school year, and gave an update on the new middle school punch list and transition planning.
Superintendent and district academic staff used the board meeting to preview several instructional and operational priorities in Anson County Schools, including strategic planning, state-required letters training, close-reading strategies and a pilot of high-dosage tutoring adapted from Union County.
Superintendent (name not specified in transcript) said the district has completed 12 focus groups and scheduled a six-hour planning session on Feb. 19 with a 15-person representative team to produce an actionable strategic plan. "This document is not just a document... it's actionable," the superintendent said, and emphasized that the plan should be tied to student learning goals.
Dr. Tharp (title not specified in the transcript), who led the instructional presentation, described LETRS/letters training as a state requirement the district began implementing after a 2021 law: "Letters training gives our early grades teachers foundational skills, how to teach phonics, how to teach word recognition, writing." He said K–2 teachers have been trained or are being trained and that the effort is ongoing as new teachers arrive.
On close reading, Dr. Tharp explained the classroom method for comprehension: teachers and students slow down and dissect passages so students can answer multi-step questions. He framed close reading as a method distinct from curriculum selection and said success depends on teachers' instructional strategies.
Dr. Tharp described the district's pilot of high-dosage tutoring modeled on Union County: "This is different... the students are receiving extra instruction, but it's in small groups." He said the pilot focuses on fourth-grade math (already launched at Wadesboro Elementary and Morven Elementary), uses 3–4 student groups, lasts about 25–30 minutes per session daily, and employs a mix of staffed tutors including retired educators, college students and trained school employees. Dr. Tharp said materials and training were provided by Union County at no charge and that tutors must pass training tests to deliver the curriculum.
Funding and timeline: Dr. Tharp said the district is using a mix of federal and state dollars and repurposing unspent funds where appropriate; he said the goal is to have the program in every school in the 2026–27 school year "if funds and a solid plan" permit. The superintendent added that continuity of staffing and leadership will be key to the program's success.
Capital projects: The superintendent updated the board on the new middle school, saying most punch-list items could be completed by February but that access-road and peripheral work might extend into March; transition planning for the 2025–26 school year will begin immediately and the district will plan community opening events.
Why it matters: The combination of state-mandated LETRS training, classroom-focused close-reading work and a daily, small-group tutoring model are intended to accelerate literacy and math outcomes; rollout timelines and funding sources will determine the scale and speed of impact.
Next steps: The district will return to the board with implementation details and timelines as plans firm up, and will monitor results to judge whether to expand the tutoring model countywide by 2026–27.