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Little Falls adopts CKLA elementary curriculum, approves middle/high school interventionists
Summary
The Little Falls board voted to adopt Amplify CKLA's knowledge-strand for elementary reading and approved two ACCESS-funded secondary interventionist positions to support middle and high school students. The plan pairs CKLA with existing Functional Phonics and includes summer and in-year professional development.
The Little Falls School District Board of Education on April 20 adopted a new elementary reading curriculum and approved two interventionist positions to expand secondary literacy supports.
Lisa Salber, the district MTSS coordinator, told the board the curriculum selection grew out of a year-long pilot: "We started this process back in April last year. We had 88% of teachers who teach reading in K–5 pilot, which is super exciting." After reviewing samples, rubrics from the Minnesota Department of Education and teacher feedback, the literacy team recommended adopting the knowledge strand of Amplify CKLA while continuing Functional Phonics for decoding instruction.
Salber said the district’s pilot and assessment data informed both curriculum choice and staffing needs. She described growth seen at the middle school using PowerUp: students in a foundational (K–2) category fell from 30% to 17%, and advanced-level measures rose; comprehension and grammar measures also showed improvement during the pilot. To sustain and extend that progress, the board approved hiring a middle school literacy interventionist (1.0 FTE) and a high school interventionist (1.0 FTE), with ACCESS funding expected to cover about 50% of each FTE.
Salber described the proposed roles: each interventionist would teach multiple sections, use a fifth period for coaching and data-based decision-making, and operate lit lab or "flyer hub" spaces to support students who need targeted help. She said, "The READ Act also calls us to act. If we have that data showing that students aren't ... at grade level with reading, we have to respond."
Implementation timeline and training
The district plans to make materials available to teachers by the end of the school year for optional summer review, provide an initial online orientation and a welcome-back workshop, and schedule follow-up professional development in January and March to analyze data and refine instruction. Salber emphasized the need for focused PD and coaching so teachers can use CKLA and Functional Phonics in aligned ways.
Board action
The board voted unanimously to adopt CKLA and to approve the two interventionist positions. The motions were made and seconded during the meeting; the adopted staffing will be funded within the revised FY2026 budget adopted earlier in the session.
Why it matters
District leaders said pairing a knowledge-building curriculum (CKLA) with established phonics instruction is intended to build students' background knowledge and vocabulary so comprehension improves as students progress through grades. The interventionist hires aim to reduce inappropriate special education referrals by providing targeted instruction earlier in students’ trajectories.
