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D49 reports mid‑year literacy gains; plans retooled READ camp and targeted tutoring
Summary
Interim literacy coordinator Yuki Rockwell reported mid‑year DIBELS improvements and outlined a retooled summer/read intervention plan: a three‑week kindergarten recap, capped tutoring groups for grades 1–3, and an emphasis on letter‑sound mastery and aligned tiered supports under READ Act identification rules.
Yuki Rockwell, interim coordinator of literacy performance for El Paso County Colorado School District 49, presented the district’s mid‑year primary literacy results and proposed changes to READ camp and tutoring.
Rockwell said the share of students classified as “well below benchmark” has fallen across two recent school years (for example, from 29% to 19% in one year and 26% to 18% the following year in the mid‑year snapshots she showed). The district continues to aim for an 80% proficiency target in K–3 and is tracking complementary measures (accuracy, fluency and growth percentiles) through DIBELS 8 and other interim measures.
To address students who remain behind, Rockwell said the district will retool summer supports: a three‑week kindergarten recap (two hours per day) focused on letter‑sound mastery, and a capped tutoring model for grades 1–3 (about 12 students per grade per zone) with one‑hour sessions. She emphasized the intention to align tier‑one instruction with intervention so that classroom teaching and targeted supports reinforce the same scope and sequence.
Rockwell tied the identification and intervention approach to the Colorado READ Act, noting that all students with qualifying benchmark criteria have an active READ plan. Board members asked about selection criteria, program length and whether the district could adapt if READ Act funding is reduced; Rockwell said site teams will continue to rely on legislation‑based identification and that the redesigned, narrower programs aim to preserve impact even with uncertain funding.
"Every student who qualifies has an active READ plan," Rockwell said, and the redesign focuses on intensive, highly targeted practice (letter‑sound mastery and fluency) in short cycles to reduce summer slide and accelerate early gains.
The board expressed support for the narrower, more data‑driven intervention model and asked staff to report back on implementation details.
