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Woodbridge pilot ‘Reading Raiders’ shows large fluency gains; district seeks funding to expand
Summary
Woodbridge School District told the State Board its Reading Raiders after-school pilot produced large words‑per‑minute growth for early grades, with high attendance; district leaders said Title I and grant funding sustain the program and they hope to expand if funding allows.
Woodbridge School District officials presented a pilot after‑school literacy program called Reading Raiders at the State Board of Education’s May 15 meeting, saying small-group instruction and a consistent schedule produced substantial increases in oral reading fluency across early grades.
The program ran for about 10 weeks with three two‑hour sessions per week and provided snacks and meals after school so students could concentrate. For one participating building the district reported 25 sessions (two canceled for snow), an 89% overall attendance rate and small-group instruction (roughly five to seven students per group). "Students were invited based on their reading data and attendance," a district principal said.
Results the presenters shared included a rise in average words per minute for 1st graders from about 14 WPM at the start of the program to about 32 WPM at the end — cited by the district as a 129% increase — after which 8 of 25 participating 1st graders (32%) were reading at grade level. For 2nd graders the average moved from 52 to 73 WPM (about 40% growth), with 10 of 27 participants (37%) reaching grade level by the district’s post‑test. A separate building reported a 22% gain for 3rd graders (84→103 WPM) and a 50% gain for 4th graders (70→105 WPM); 5th‑grade averages also increased.
Board members asked how students would be selected if the district runs the program again; the district said any future cohort would be selected using updated year‑start data, and that some students who reached proficiency could still be considered for continued intervention. On long‑term sustainability, presenters said the program primarily uses Title I funds and grants and that the district hopes to expand participation if funding is available.
The district also noted it adopted a phonics‑focused curriculum (UFLI) through its MTSS process and plans to extend components of that curriculum into daytime interventions. Presenters said all staff who ran the pilot were in‑house educators rather than outside hires, which they credited with creating a comfortable learning environment for students.
The board did not take formal action on the pilot; members encouraged the district to pursue funding and to continue sharing outcome tables.
