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Teacher urges board to restore on-site TOSA position, cites literacy gains
Summary
A second-grade teacher implored trustees not to eliminate the on-site Teacher on Special Assignment role, saying TOSAs have driven gains in writing proficiency and iReady scores and are central to interventions for vulnerable students.
Emily Smith, a second-grade teacher at Natomas Park Elementary, addressed the Board during public comment and asked trustees to reconsider eliminating the on-site Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) position for next year. Smith said TOSAs have been critical for implementing I-Ready and writing assessments, delivering targeted interventions, co-teaching and supporting data-driven instruction; she reported local site gains including writing proficiency rising from 19% to 42% and K–iReady scores increasing from 20% to 31% over a reporting period she cited from the LCAP.
Smith described the TOSA at her site (Ms. Ashley Collins) as running an extended-day reading program that served about 70 high-need scholars and providing individualized assessment and intervention during the day. She said removing the on-site TOSA would shift essential duties onto already overburdened teachers and would likely hinder ongoing literacy gains. "Eliminating TOSA's on-site will significantly impact our students, teachers, and community potentially undoing the progress we've made over the past 4 years," she said.
