Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Literacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Salem-Keizer SD 24J to hold January 2026 literacy professional development days after 24% third-grade proficiency in 2024
Summary
District leaders announced January 2026 professional development days focused on early literacy for preschool and elementary staff after reporting that only 24% of third graders scored at grade level on the 2024 state reading assessment; pre-K through fifth-grade students will not attend school on those days.
Olga Cobb, deputy superintendent overseeing elementary instruction for Salem-Keizer SD 24J, announced the district will designate days in January 2026 as professional development for preschool and elementary staff focused on proven literacy instruction methods. Cobb said the move follows a 2024 state reading assessment in which 24% of the district’s third graders were reading at grade level.
The announcement, made alongside two union leaders introduced by Cobb, said the January days will be treated as professional development and that pre-K through fifth-grade students will not attend school on those dates; secondary schools will remain in regular session. "No excuses," Cobb said, framing the decision as urgent and necessary to raise reading outcomes.
The district tied the training to its strategic plan, “Climbing Together,” saying the work concentrates on improving third-grade literacy scores through systemwide professional development. A union leader at the event said educators, parents and community members share the same goal: "Being a good reader is a fundamental human right," the speaker said.
District leaders acknowledged the calendar impact on families and staff and said the decision was not taken lightly. They described the training as a systemwide investment intended to give preschool and elementary teachers, assistants and specialists "proven skills and strategies to improve outcomes for our students." Cobb described the scale as affecting "the thousands of students we serve across our community." The exact dates and schedule details for the January professional development days were not specified in the announcement.
The announcement did not record a formal board vote or motion in the transcript; officials presented the plan as a district decision and a next step in implementing literacy-focused professional development. Cobb closed by urging community collaboration to reach third-grade reading proficiency and thanking those present.
