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District outlines literacy overhaul, plans tiered interventions after new screening data
Summary
District presenters described a multi-year literacy review, training for more than 650 staff, a single elementary curriculum adoption (Emerge), and expanded tier 2/3 interventions informed by new CAPTI diagnostic data covering roughly 2,497 secondary students.
Anna Wilhite, the district's director of E-12 education, told the board the district has completed a multi-year curriculum review and trained "650 plus staff members" on science-of-reading practices and foundational skills.
"Instead of them trying to use three different platforms and three different curriculums, they'll be able to have everything all in one," Wilhite said, describing the planned elementary adoption of the Emerge curriculum to unify tier 1 instruction.
The presentation described assessment changes that shaped next steps. Presenters said the district will use FastBridge for K-3 only (with DIBELS for multilingual learners K-3) and adopt the CAPTI Read Basics diagnostic as the universal screener for grades 4-12 after a state-required pilot this year. A district presenter reported that about 2,497 students (roughly 40% of grades 4'12) took the CAPTI screener in January and that a large share scored in the district's red/yellow bands for word recognition and decoding.
District staff outlined how the diagnostic data will direct tiered supports: tier 1 alignment across classrooms, embedded tier 2 focus-group time for short-term interventions, and tier 3 small-group, intensive instruction (including Orton-Gillingham approaches). In secondary schools the district will continue credit-bearing science-of-reading electives and add a short, trimester-length Science of Reading 3 option intended to move students from tier 3 toward tier 2 needs.
Board members pressed on interpretation of assessment graphs and test comparability. Presenters emphasized FastBridge's progressive benchmarks (benchmarks that change in rigor across fall/winter/spring) and said that while cohort graphs can look like dips (especially in kindergarten because tests change across the year), individual student scale scores typically increase. On mobility, presenters noted the district's high student turnover affects aggregated results and pointed to planned instructional-minute changes to reduce interruptions in core instruction.
The presentation also highlighted early-childhood and community strategies: a forthcoming one-pager for parents on developmental milestones, partnerships with agencies (including CentraCare and community outreach events like Baby Cafe), and an early-childhood curriculum pilot slated for next year.
The board thanked presenters and asked for continued updates; no formal action was taken on the literacy presentation at this meeting.
