Directions: Please provide a narrativeresponse for Sections A-I
LETRS Questions:
- How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS?: 6
- How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS?: 2
- How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year (or have not yet started orcompleted Volume 1)?: 7
- How many teachers in your school are beginning Volume 2 of LETRS this year? 6
- How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school have completed EC LETRS? NA
- How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school are beginning EC LETRS this year? NA
Section A
Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all PreK-5th grade students in the school includesoral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards.
All students take i-Ready three times a year, which assesses oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—the five pillars of reading instruction. This data provides individualized learning paths and informs small-group instruction for all students. Instruction is grounded in evidence-based, science ofreading practices. All Kindergarten through 3rd grade students receive 30 minutes of Fundations daily, a comprehensive, research-based program that addresses word study, phonics, spelling, and writing skills. Students in K–2 also participate in daily Heggerty phonological awareness lessons (10 minutes) and Geodes (30 minutes), which integrate rich content knowledge with decoding practice to support comprehension of complex texts. In addition, Kindergarten through 2nd grade students are assessed on reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension, with identified 3rd grade scholars also assessed as needed.
Section B
Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5th grade students are furtheraligned to the science of reading, structured literacy and foundational literacy skills.
Word Recognition assessment and instruction for K-5th grade students are intentionally aligned to the science ofreading, structured literacy, and the development of foundational literacy skills. Our core ELA curriculum, Wit & Wisdom, emphasizes how elements of language comprehension connect with word recognition skills to build strong, proficient readers. In the earlier grades, students explicitly develop phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition of high-frequency words. Vocabulary is taught through both direct and implicit instruction, with each lesson including a 15-minute “deep dive” focused on vocabulary and language structures.
To strengthen word recognition and decoding, Kindergarten-2nd grade students receive daily instruction with Heggerty, which provides systematic, explicit practice in phonological and phonemic awareness. K-2 teachers also use the Geodes small group curriculum as a way to bridge the comprehension focus of Wit & Wisdom with the phonological awareness taught through Fundations. All Kindergarten-3rd grade students participate in Fundations, a structured literacy program grounded in scientific reading research. Fundations systematically addresses phonics, spelling, word study, and handwriting, ensuring students master the foundational skills required for fluent reading andcomprehension. When utilized together, these programs are designed to provide explicit, sequential instruction in phonological awareness and phonics, supporting the development of accurate, automatic word recognition and a strong foundation for lifelong literacy.
Section C
Document how the school uses universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data to determinetargeted pathways of intervention (word recognition or language comprehension) for students in PreK-5th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency.
All K-5th grade students complete MAP Growth Reading and i-Ready Reading at the beginning of the school year as universal screeners. These assessments provide comprehensive data on both word recognition and languagecomprehension skills, helping us identify students’ strengths and areas for growth. Results are analyzed within the first two and a half weeks of school, allowing the MTSS team and ELA teachers to determine targeted pathways of intervention. For students who do not demonstrate grade-level proficiency, diagnostic data is used to pinpoint whether the greatest need is in word recognition (phonological awareness, phonics, decoding, and fluency) or in language comprehension (vocabulary and higher-level understanding of texts).
Students then receive Tier I and Tier II supports aligned to their specific needs. Targeted small-group interventionsoccur at least three times per week, led by either the classroom ELA teacher or a reading interventionist. Instruction is explicitly designed to address the identified skill gaps—whether in phonics and decoding or in vocabulary and comprehension—ensuring students make progress toward grade-level reading proficiency. Importantly, intervention and enrichment plans are created for all scholars: those performing below grade level receive intensive support, while those performing above grade level are provided with opportunities to extend their learning alongside peers at similar levels.
Our school uses universal screener and diagnostic data, such as MAP, to identify specific areas of need and determine whether students require targeted interventions in word recognition or language comprehension. For example, current data shows that 54% of 1st graders and 41% of 2nd graders scored in the Does Not Meet or Approaches categories, andthese students are placed in small, skill-focused intervention groups based on their diagnostic profiles.
Section D
Describe the system in place to help parents in your school understand how they can support the student as a reader and writer at home.
Our school has a structured system to help parents understand how they can support their child as a reader and writer at home. Four weeks into the first quarter, we hold our initial family-teacher conferences, which are specificallydesigned to review i-Ready, MAP Growth, and other reading data. Families review their child’s reports during the conference and have the opportunity to ask questions. During the conference, teachers walk parents through eachsection of the reports, highlighting the child’s performance compared to grade-level expectations and peers, areas ofstrength, and areas of need. For example, we may explain, “Your child is on grade level in vocabulary but is still below grade level in comprehending informational texts.” We also review writing samples and other assignments, such as exit tickets, to provide a fuller picture of the student’s progress.
Following each individualized discussion, parents are provided with resources to support literacy at home. These include parent guides for understanding our reading curriculum, access to student workbooks when available, word lists, fluency passages, and targeted materials aligned to their child’s grade level. Teachers also point out resourcesavailable through NWEA reports and recommend websites that parents can explore with their children. In addition to these formal conferences, teachers maintain ongoing dialogue with families, offering practical strategies for building reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as well as ways to support writing development at home. Thisconsistent communication ensures that families are equipped with both the data and the tools to help their child grow as a reader and writer.
Section E
Document how the school provides for the monitoring of reading achievement and growth at theclassroom and school level with decisions about PreK-5th grade intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading.
Reading achievement and growth are closely monitored at both the classroom and school level to ensure all K-5th grade students progress toward grade-level proficiency. At the classroom level, teachers regularly administer phonics, fluency, and comprehension screeners in small groups. These ongoing checks for understanding guide dailyinstruction and inform decisions about flexible small-group placements, as well as which students may require additional intervention beyond core instruction.
At the school level, our MTSS team—which includes academic deans, the MTSS coordinator, the Director of Literacy, interventionists, and reading teachers—meets regularly to analyze multiple data points. These include beginning-of-year (BOY) universal screening results, 6- to 9-week progress monitoring data, and benchmark assessmentsthroughout the year. During quarterly meetings, the team reviews whether students identified for support are making sufficient growth, whether interventions should be intensified or shifted to Tier III, and whether students are ready to exit pull-out services. The team also uses data to identify new students in need of intervention and to create documented plans of support.
By combining classroom-based data with school-wide monitoring, we ensure that instructional decisions andintervention placements are responsive, targeted, and aligned with each student’s path toward grade-level reading proficiency.
Section F
Explain how the school will provide teacher training based in the science of reading, structured literacy,and foundational literacy skills to support reading achievement for all students.
To ensure all students achieve reading proficiency, our school provides teacher training grounded in the science ofreading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills. A key component of this plan is LETRS training for all K-3 teachers. Implementation began in the 2024–25 school year, with the first cohort completing Volume 1 andcurrently working through Volume 2. A second cohort began Volume 1 at the start of this year, ensuring that additional teachers are developing deep knowledge of the components of effective reading instruction, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
In addition to LETRS, teachers engage in ongoing professional learning to strengthen literacy instruction. Thisincludes monthly workshops focused on best practices in structured literacy, quarterly professional learning opportunities aligned to school-wide goals, and weekly PLCs where teachers collaborate to analyze data, refine instructional strategies, and plan targeted interventions. Together, these training opportunities build teacher expertise in evidence-based practices, ensuring instruction in every classroom is aligned with the science of reading and designed to accelerate achievement for all students.
Section G: Analysis of Data
| Strengths | Possibilities for Growth |
| The use of multiple data points todetermine the strengths and needs of each scholarThe use of research and science-based curricula and intervention resources in all classes and at every grade levelHaving a strong team who meets regularly to disaggregate data and make instructional, intervention, and enrichment decisionsmultiple times a year.The number of scholars DNM on SCReady in 3rd grade decreased 52.2% from 27.2% in 2024 to 13% in 2025.The number of scholars Meets and Exceeds in grades 3rd-5th increased 16.5% from 51.5% in 2024 to 60% in 2025. | Support non-ELA teachers to better meet ourscholars’ needs in other literacy rich environments.Strengthening our partnership with familiesand other stakeholders to support our literacy goals and initiatives.Increase individualized instructionfor students scoring Approaches.5th grade ELA decreased in number ofscholars Meets and Exceeds from 56.4% to 50%. |
Section H: Previous School Year SMART Goals and Progress Toward Those Goals
Goal 2025
Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring at the DNM level in the spring of 2024 as determined by SC Ready from 30% to 27% in the spring of 2025
Progress
| 2023 | BASELINE | Actual – 42.5% |
| 2024 | Goal – 38% | Actual – 30.2 % |
| 2025 | Goal – 27.2% | Actual – 13% |
- Please provide your school’s goals from last school year and the progress your school has made towards these goals. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to determine progress toward the goal (s). As a reminder, allschools serving third grade were required to use Goal #1 (below).
Section I Current SMART Goals and Action Steps Based on Analysis of Data
- All schools serving students in third grade MUST respond to the third-grade reading proficiency goal. Schools that do not serve third grade students may choose a different goal. Schools may continue to use thesame SMART goals from previous years or choose new goals. Goals should be academically measurable.The Reflection Tool may be helpful in determining action steps to reach an academic goal. Schools are strongly encouraged to incorporate goals from the strategic plan.
| Goal 1Increase the percentage of third graders scoring Meets and Exceeds in the spring of 2025 asdetermined by SC Ready from 60% to 66% in the spring of 2026. | Action StepsUse Fall 2025 BOY data to identify scholars who are projected to be Approaches based on MAP. Provideindividualized instruction for these scholars through pullout services and/or in class small groups.Provide a grade level assistant to support smallgroup instruction and give students more time with direct individualized instruction.Provide targeted support for students who are projected to be Meets but whose RIT score shows they may only be a few points away fromApproaches. Use i-Ready lessons and small grouptime to reinforce skills that scholars have not mastered. |
| 4. Invite scholars’ parents to be a part of the conversation to discuss how the school and family can partner to ensurethese scholars read at home and practice word recognition, fluency and vocabulary. | |
| Goal 2Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring atthe DNM level in the spring of 2025 as determined by SC Ready from 13% to 11.7% in the spring of 2026. | Action StepsUse Fall 2025 BOY data to identify scholars who are projected to be DNM, based on MAP. Provideindividualized intervention for thesescholars through pullout services and in class small groups. Provide targeted support for students who areprojected to be Approaches but whose RIT scoreshows they may only be a fewpoints away from DNM. Use i-Ready lessons to reinforceskills that scholars have not mastered.Invite scholars’ parents to be a part of the conversation to discuss how the school and family can partner to ensure these scholars read athome and practice word recognition, fluency and vocabulary. |
