District reading plan highlights gains, expanded coaching and summer supports

Hernando County School Board · June 23, 2026

Summary

District leaders presented a comprehensive evidence‑based reading plan for 26‑27 emphasizing reading coaches, targeted interventions, summer third‑grade camp, and high‑school boot camps; staff reported rising FAST ELA proficiency and lower numbers of schools in 'raise' status.

Miss Howard and Miss Downey presented the district’s comprehensive evidence‑based reading plan due to the state Department of Education Aug. 1. The plan focuses on tiered instruction, literacy teams on each campus, expanded reading coach positions (district and school‑based), professional development aligned to new curriculum, and summer interventions (third‑grade reading camp currently serving 81 students and a high‑school boot camp for seniors missing graduation requirements).

Presenters said district metrics show improvement across several grades and programs: VPK students had improved performance with a drop to zero below the 10th percentile this year in one measure; third‑grade ELA proficiency showed tentative gains districtwide; and seniors meeting the FAST ELA requirement rose to 98% as of June 1 from 81% at the start of the year. Board members raised concerns about long‑term ESOL/ELL students who enter secondary grades without English proficiency; administrators agreed to review portfolio procedures for graduation exemptions to ensure evidence aligns with measured proficiency.

Staff noted that reading coaches are deployed by building need (elementary coaches, a few middle and split high‑school roles) and that the district will continue to refine intervention dosage and observation strategies to lift classroom observation scores in VPK classrooms.

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