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USD116 reports early reading gains after CKLA rollout; district expands interventions and coaching
Summary
District curriculum staff reported year‑two CKLA implementation produced measurable MClass improvements in several elementary cohorts and detailed scaled interventions (Read 180, Math 180), coaching and new assessment practices designed to sustain growth.
Jessica Pratford, director of curriculum and student learning, told the board the district is in year two of CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) and year three of Illustrative Math at elementary grades and is seeing early assessment gains.
Pratford described curricular changes — pacing guides and K–5 curriculum maps — and staffing deployed to support fidelity: a CKLA coach (Becca Pate), curriculum implementation teachers across elementary buildings, and tier‑one intensive teachers who co‑teach phonics and skills instruction. She said the district provided robust professional development, including backward planning and assessment use.
Using MClass beginning‑of‑year comparisons from the previous school year, Pratford reported reductions in the share of students measured “well below” in several cohorts and increases in students “on target” or above. She cited grade‑by‑grade examples (for example, a reported decrease in kindergarten students categorized as ‘well below’ from 54% to 51% for the cohort now in first grade and other cohort‑level improvements) and identified a fourth→fifth grade cohort requiring targeted fluency work.
For students who need more intensive support, the district continues Read 180 (second year) and launched Math 180 (first year for grades 7–8) to address foundational gaps. Pratford described coaching cycles in secondary ELA and common unit assessments that mirror state test item types to guide reteaching.
Board members asked about testing volume. Administration said the district uses MAP and MClass for growth and screening, unit assessments to guide instruction, and state assessments for accountability; staff acknowledged testing volume and stressed making data meaningful to students and teachers. The district said MAP flags rapid‑guessing and that teachers can reset tests and follow up with students when assessment behavior suggests disengagement.
Administrators signaled continued monitoring of cohorts, targeted support for grades showing less progress and a multi‑year plan to isolate the effects of co‑teaching and curriculum changes.
