Pine Spring principal: structured ECRI program yielded measurable gains; work now expanding across FCPS

Nikki Yakubovich, principal at Pine Spring Elementary School, said the school’s adoption of ECRI — "enhancing core reading instruction" — produced measurable gains in early reading and is now being expanded across Fairfax County Public Schools. "In just 2 years, we saw a 23.4% gain in 1st grade reading performance on the VALS assessment," Yakubovich said.

Yakubovich described ECRI as a structured-literacy approach "grounded in the science of reading," adding that it delivers explicit, systematic instruction in phonics, decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. She said the program gives teachers a consistent roadmap for daily instruction and that common language, routines and independent instructional practices helped produce stronger accuracy and fluency among students.

Because of the outcomes at Pine Spring, Yakubovich said the school expanded ECRI into additional grade levels, including kindergarten and second grade, to build a stronger foundation early in students’ school careers. She framed the district expansion as a shift "from pockets of excellence to a system of excellence," saying the work aims to make high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction more consistent across the division.

Yakubovich emphasized qualitative changes alongside test-score improvements: students "believe they can be successful readers," she said, noting that increased confidence and independence were important indicators of the program’s effect. She closed by saying Pine Spring is proud to be part of the continued growth of ECRI across Fairfax County Public Schools.