Pittsburgh SD reports midyear dip in third‑grade reading, outlines staffing and coaching push

On March 3, 2026, officials for Pittsburgh Public Schools presented a midyear status update on third‑grade English language arts, reporting a current proficiency rate of 43.9% and outlining steps — including more coaching, targeted interventions and stronger publisher accountability — to try to meet the district's interim target of 51.7% for 2025–26.

Dr. Wayne Walters, who led the presentation, said the district’s long‑term goal is 54% third‑grade ELA proficiency by the 2026–27 school year but emphasized that recent data show uneven progress. “Our current proficiency rate of 43.9 makes clear that significant work remains,” Walters said, summarizing midyear results and subgroup patterns.

The presentation focused on multiple benchmark tools. Walters described how DIBELS midyear windows raise expectations and can shift students into lower bands even as they improve relative to earlier performance, and he noted that the district’s CDT diagnostic showed a 7‑percentage‑point gain from beginning to midyear across two administrations this school year. At the same time, Walters pointed to persistent disparities: white students continue to outperform African American students, English learners, students with IEPs and economically disadvantaged students.

Walters highlighted school‑level variation: the district midyear average on DIBELS was 46.9% at or above benchmark, while Montessori, Greenfield, Dilworth, Linden and Colfax exceeded a 70% school threshold. He cautioned that differences in program models and starting points can matter, saying Montessori’s early‑childhood program and magnet configurations likely contribute to higher outcomes in some schools.

To accelerate progress, the district is emphasizing implementation fidelity to the science of reading. Walters outlined five high‑leverage coaching practices — co‑planning, modeling, co‑teaching, data‑driven small‑group instruction and professional learning communities — and reported that the district currently deploys 13 literacy academic coaches (most assigned to three schools each). Logged coaching minutes climbed substantially across categories this school year, and Walters said additional coaches and reading specialists remain needed to scale supports beyond a piecemeal deployment.

The district has begun targeted professional learning: an introduction to structured literacy course launched in January and is PDE‑approved to meet Act 135 requirements; Walters reported that 195 teachers had completed the course as of Feb. 9. The administration is developing a district science‑of‑reading handbook, sharpening publisher partnerships (including more principal training and focused classroom observation), and expanding cross‑department coordination to align curriculum, coaching and assessment.

Walters acknowledged implementation challenges: variable teacher readiness, capacity limits for observation and calibration, mixed vendor responsiveness, and the shift to online PSSA this year. He said these factors require tighter monitoring and stronger implementation tracking tools.

In board discussion following the presentation, members asked for more detail and next steps. A board member asked which practices from high‑performing schools could be replicated; Anne Fillmore, executive director for literacy, humanities and library services, said the district examines K–2 trajectories to deploy tiered supports and eight district reading specialists to high‑need schools. On staffing, Walters said budget discussions will include requests for more coaches and reading specialists.

Board members also reiterated four deliverables they expect from the superintendent as implementation proceeds: a staffing plan that shows required roles and resources; a clear outline of challenges, limitations and risks; consideration of Cap and Montessori configuration changes if needed; and side‑by‑side budget comparison tables. The board agreed it may hold one or two additional meetings focused on available information before any vote on further actions.

The committee adjourned after the exchange; no formal motions or votes were taken at the session.