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Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. credits targeted instruction as IREAD pass rate jumps to 83.4%
Summary
District leaders told the board that EVSC’s IREAD pass rate rose to 83.4% after targeted, research-based reading instruction, coaching and data-driven interventions. Three schools and district staff were recognized at the state board for their gains.
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. officials told the Board of School Trustees on Aug. 25 that the district’s IREAD pass rate rose to 83.4% after a year of targeted, research‑based reading instruction and coaching.
Director of early literacy Sandy Moore said 21 of EVSC’s 24 schools saw improved reading scores and that six schools increased by more than 20 percentage points. ‘‘We’ve seen remarkable growth in reading proficiency,’’ Moore said, citing districtwide data used to guide instruction.
India Williams, literacy cadre coach at Fairlawn Elementary School, told the board the work focused on explicit instruction and routines backed by reading science. ‘‘We explicitly taught the research based stuff and we cut the fluff,’’ Williams said, adding that the district used interventions and tools such as YouFly and Amira and relied on literacy coaches and teacher collaboration.
Angie Oliver, principal of Community Leadership Academy, said the gains reflect sustained coaching, data use and fidelity to instructional routines. Oliver said one school’s increase was ‘‘very close to 44%’’ and another school saw roughly a 40–42% rise.
Superintendent Dr. Hoover placed the district’s gains in state context, saying Indiana rose about 5% statewide while EVSC rose about 10%. Hoover noted that 15 schools met or exceeded pre‑COVID reading levels and that the district set targets to continue progress toward a state goal for 2027.
Board members asked how the district will sustain gains and measure progress. Hoover described monthly reviews at the school level, interventions for students who miss benchmarks, individualized reading plans and regular meetings with school teams and the director of attendance to monitor student progress.
The presentation concluded with recognition that increases in early literacy help later academic outcomes; district leaders said the approach combines coaching, targeted interventions and supports for families to maintain literacy gains.
The board heard the district spotlight during its regular meeting; no formal vote was required on the presentation.
