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Curriculum director: local reading diagnostics show large gains but higher standards too
Summary
Mrs. Donato told the board that local diagnostic screening and benchmark data show notable year‑to‑year growth in reading tiers, while cautioning that the proficiency bar also rises between fall and spring and that work remains on comprehension and vocabulary.
Mrs. Donato, the district director of curriculum and instruction, opened the Committee of the Whole presentation by saying she would "provide an update on academic performance, both from a proficiency lens as well as a growth lens." She reviewed the district assessment calendar and explained how I‑Ready and AIMSwebPlus are used to screen students and inform interventions.
Donato presented early literacy findings showing large gains in tier‑1 placement across elementary grades. "Our aim is to have the highest percentage of students in the green in tier 1," she said, and cited examples such as kindergarten moving from about 23% in fall to 74% in spring on combined early literacy measures. She also cautioned that the proficiency bar increases across the year, so apparent gains must be read alongside rising expectations.
The director credited implementation of high‑quality curriculum materials and targeted supports for the improvements, but pointed to areas needing continued work: vocabulary and comprehension lag phonics and phonological awareness. Donato said the district has layered professional development and teacher coaching to address those gaps and continues year‑round benchmarking to spot students who need extra help.
