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Tangipahoa Parish board spotlights kindergarten One Trek instructors after district reports 7% reading gain
Summary
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board recognized seven One Trek kindergarten instructors and was told the program coincides with at least a 7% year-over-year improvement in kindergarten reading performance (data through March 18). Instructors described daily 15–20 minute sessions and called for expansion.
The Tangipahoa Parish School Board on April 14 recognized seven One Trek instructors and heard district presenters credit the program with measurable early-reading gains.
Dr. Few Sale, who presented the academic update, said the One Trek initiative gives kindergarten students daily 15–20 minute foundational reinforcement and reported, based on data through March 18, that the district has seen "at least a 7% increase in the performance of our students" compared with the previous year. Dr. Few Sale said Tangipahoa Parish School System has more than 88 One Trek instructors; nationally the program includes about 351 instructors across 34 school districts, and Tangipahoa currently has seven instructors ranked in the program's top 10 for fidelity.
The program was introduced with a four-minute video of kindergarten lessons showing instructors asking comprehension questions as students read. District staff said instructors are recorded and coached and receive fidelity scores as part of ongoing quality assurance.
Several instructors accepted awards and spoke about the work. Mr. Kerry Siatat, an instructor from the Parent Early Learning Center who said he previously worked in industry, described the classroom experience personally: "They make me a better man every day," he said. Another instructor with decades of classroom experience said the program has produced kindergarteners reading fluently on multisyllabic words and urged the board to expand the initiative.
District staff emphasized the One Trek implementation model the board uses differs from other districts that limit the program to select students; Tangipahoa said it deploys the program broadly across kindergarten classes. Officials cautioned that the cited performance numbers cover data through March 18 and may change as more data arrive.
No formal board action was taken on the program at the meeting; the recognition was ceremonial. The district said it will continue coaching instructors and tracking fidelity and outcomes.
What’s next: The board will retain monitoring of One Trek fidelity scores and student outcomes as part of its academic updates; staff indicated the program may expand if current trends hold.
