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Fredonia first graders show sharp gains; teachers cite book-buddies and UFLI phonics
Summary
Teachers credited daily UFLI phonics, targeted intervention and an older-student 'book buddies' program for first-grade gains: 74% of first graders reached grade-level benchmarks and average fluency rose to 78 words per minute.
Teachers and the principal described classroom-level practices they say supported large first-grade gains this year. The board heard that "74% of our 1st graders are reading at or above grade level," up from 67% the previous year, and that the average first‑grade student ended the year reading 78 words per minute, a notable rise from 54 wpm last year.
Classroom teachers credited structured phonics lessons, daily explicit instruction with interactive sound boards, and peer-led book-buddies in which fifth graders paired with first graders for weekly read-alouds. One teacher described the program as a daily highlight: "It was the highlight of the day every day," and credited the peer mentoring for building confidence. District staff said 52% of first graders met an ambitious 'stretch' growth goal (more than a year's worth of growth) and that teacher collaboration and progress monitoring helped sustain gains.
