Board hears proposal to add K–8 instructional coach; members question trade‑offs with reading specialists

District staff recommended adding a K–8 instructional coach to align classroom instruction with STAR assessment data, TNTP learning‑walk findings and the district’s equity objectives, arguing the role would support teacher practice and coherence across grades.

At the work session staff said the FTE for the coach would be funded by reassigning existing elementary staffing (a staff rollover) rather than adding new ongoing funds. They framed the coach as focusing on core instructional fidelity, coaching teachers, using diagnostic data and supporting transition years (kindergarten, sixth, ninth) to improve literacy and math outcomes.

Several board members asked how the proposal affects current reading‑specialist roles and class sizes. One committee member questioned whether trading one or two reading‑specialist positions for a single instructional coach would improve low reading scores, asking for scenarios that would preserve specialized reading support if feasible.

Staff responded that the district’s current schedules and intervention time do not fully deliver a core instructional model (they said many students are pulled from the core 90‑minute reading block and receive less intervention than recommended). They noted that a coaching model paired with schedule changes and targeted interventions is intended to expand core instruction and improve outcomes, but acknowledged details on staffing allocation and budget prioritization remain to be finalized through the budget process.

The board discussed retaining reading‑specialist capacity if budget surplus allows and asked staff to present budget scenarios and clearer staffing impacts when bringing the integrated guidance update back at the March meeting.