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Del Valle ISD sets ambitious early‑literacy goals after fall MAP fluency data
Summary
District leaders told trustees that kindergarten MAP fluency scores start around 65% for English‑tested students, with first‑ and second‑grade performance falling to roughly 48% and 26% respectively; the district set targets to raise those rates by June 2028 and outlined curriculum, coaching and monitoring steps to get there.
Del Valle ISD officials on Nov. 18 told the school board that early‑literacy outcomes need focused attention after fall assessment results. Dr. Katrina Bailey, the district presenter, said kindergarten MAP fluency testing shows about 65% of students testing in English are on grade level, first grade is at about 48% and second grade performance is substantially lower, at roughly 26% at the foundational level. The district has set an ambitious goal to raise kindergarten English reading performance to about 85% by June 2028.
Bailey said the district is emphasizing ‘‘vertical alignment’’ of phonics and high‑frequency word lists, protecting and purposing small‑group instruction, and expanding professional learning for teachers and campus leaders. ‘‘We know that if we raise the level of literacy instruction for our students, then we’re gonna raise all,’’ Bailey said, outlining programs such as 'Literacy Para Todos' and work led by the literacy team and early learning coordinator Marti Muñoz.
Trustees pressed for clarity on multilingual supports and how families will access data. Bailey and her team said kindergarten and first‑grade MAP fluency reports are provided to families three times a year — beginning, midyear and end of year — and that pacing guides and progress tools are available on the district curriculum website. The presenters noted the district serves students who speak more than 38 languages and said most teachers are ESL‑certified or working toward certification; multilingual family‑facing tools are on the vendor roadmap but are not yet fully available for all languages.
The presentation also described assessment strategy differences across grades: MAP Fluency is used in kindergarten and first grade to measure word recognition and decoding skills, while MAP Growth and comprehension measures begin in second grade when students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Bailey said the district will report midyear assessment results to the board to show whether the interventions are keeping students on track.
Board members asked where parents can view individual student growth; Bailey said teachers should send reports home and principals and central office staff can help families obtain missing reports. She said the district is developing stronger progress‑monitoring tools to provide teachers with mid‑course corrective data, and that roughly 80% of classrooms currently use the district’s approved high‑quality instructional materials while the district works to reach full implementation.
The board did not take an action vote on these goals at the meeting; district staff said an update will be provided after the midyear assessments.
