District presents early results from Wit & Wisdom ELA rollout; intervention rates reported to fall

Craig Powers presented the district’s implementation status and interim data for the Wit & Wisdom elementary English language arts curriculum and associated MTSS/STAT systems.

Powers said the district approved the elementary ELA curriculum in fall 2024 and has pursued layered supports including tiered interventions and a new Google-based tracking platform. He reported that, for the same cohorts compared before and after implementation, the percent of students identified as needing some level of intervention dropped sharply: a cited example was second grade moving from about 66% needing intervention pre-implementation to roughly 10% in the winter screening. Third- and fourth-grade cohorts showed similar downward trends (the speaker cited 59% to 15% and 49% to 23% changes for other cohorts).

Powers emphasized that fidelity of implementation, professional development for teachers and use of end-of-module writing and vocabulary assessments are central to sustaining gains. Board members praised teachers and literacy coaches, including named literacy coaches Kim Pedzma and Darren Winthr, for the heavy lift required to implement the program.

Powers characterized the results as a promising early trend while noting that multi-year data are needed to confirm long-term impact. The board did not take further action at the meeting; the presentation was received as part of the superintendent’s report.

What’s next: The district plans continued module implementation, further assessments and ongoing professional development to support fidelity.