Anoka-Hennepin presents midyear K–12 literacy update; board warned baseline shows limited proficiency

Sarah Hunter, the district's executive director of learning and achievement, told the Anoka-Hennepin School Board on March 9 that classroom visits after the rollout of CKLA knowledge-building curriculum showed stronger student engagement, more embedded vocabulary routines and higher-quality writing practice. "Students are engaging in knowledge building," Hunter said, noting teachers reported children were asking for related books at home and using new vocabulary across the school day.

Hunter said the site visits covered every K—5 teacher across 25 schools through modeling, teacher-led lessons with feedback, and PLC days supported by CKLA coaches. She stressed the curriculum is paired with foundational instruction—Bridge to Read for K—3 and functional morphology for grades 4—5—and previewed a K—12 literacy implementation team that will include elementary, middle and high leaders and specialists to develop accountability and evaluation metrics.

But the presentation also flagged a sobering near-term data picture. Hunter explained FastBridge and a new A-reading screener will serve as baselines; the district set proficiency cut scores on national-normed measures to predict success on Minnesota's MCA tests. On those cut scores several grade bands are performing below the district's thresholds. "We choose...percentile rankings that help us predict MCA success," Hunter said, adding the district expects to use this year as a baseline for measuring growth next year.

Board members pressed for causes and responses. Several directors asked whether the new curriculum or test misalignment could explain results; Hunter acknowledged some districts see an "implementation dip" as teachers and students adjust to a large change in practice. Superintendent McIntyre and directors noted community factors such as poverty, mobility and health can contribute to performance gaps but said the district's highest-leverage response is better-aligned instruction plus targeted interventions.

Hunter said the next step is a set of CAPY data dives with school leaders to identify which gaps require classwide (tier-one) adjustments versus small-group or individual interventions. She told the board the district will return next month with CAPY findings and recommended intervention plans. "We want to make sure we are implementing supports so students can read at grade level," Hunter said.

The board's discussion emphasized both the long-term nature of curriculum shifts and the urgency of systemwide intervention: board members urged monitoring, principal-focused coaching and consideration of schedule or program changes to provide more intensive supports where needed. The district did not propose immediate policy changes at the session; Hunter and staff committed to further analysis and a follow-up report to the board.