Read to Succeed Reading Plan
Directions: Please provide a narrative response for Sections A-I.
LETRS Questions:
● How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS?: 1
● How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS?: 3
● How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year (or have not yet started or completed Volume 1)? 3
⮚ Our LETRS started over 2 years ago and has been a success for our students. We have 2 teachers who are implementing over 50% of the core objectives in LETRS. We have 4 other teachers who are enrolled in LETRS and currently completing them.
Section A: Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all PreK-5th grade students in the school include oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards. This school documents and monitors the reading and writing assessment and instruction planned for all prekindergarten through fifth-grade students and the interventions provided to all struggling readers who are not able to comprehend grade-level texts.
● Reading Assessment: providing our students with rigorous oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension using Scarborough’s Reading Rope in our iReady assessments for grades K-5th, and CKLA beginning, middle and final assessments as well as end-of-unit assessments. We use summative and formal assessments such as DIAL-4, MyIGDIs, Fastbridge, i-Ready, and SCReady to help determine the area of concern, develop an action plan, monitor, and evaluate the plan. We also recently added SIPPS to our toolbox for screening, intervention, and monitoring.
● Reading Instruction: Heggerty (phonemic awareness skills, K-2nd), Heggerty instruction allows students to apply their phonemic awareness skills to better approach learning phonics in grades K-3rd. LETRS instruction in Pre-K-5th was implemented to ensure rigorous oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension again using Scarborough’s Reading Rope. CKLA instruction is how the LETRS tools are developed and implemented across grade levels. SIPPS also provides target instruction to small groups.
Section B: Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5th grade students are further aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills.
● Word Recognition Assessment and instruction for PreK-5th is implemented through Amplify CKLA. Amplify is a Science of Reading program that covers foundational and knowledge-based reading units to ensure educators cover structured literacy and foundational literacy skills. Students are instructed in fluency and comprehension in 3rd to achieve automaticity by 5th grade. Our students in the lower school are spending their CKLA reading time learning and practicing the word recognition strands of phonological awareness, decoding, and sight recognition of common words, as displayed on Scarborough’s Reading Rope.
Section C: Document how the school uses universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data to determine targeted pathways of intervention (word recognition or language comprehension) for students in PreK-5th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency.
To support our students academically and emotionally, Minnie Hughes utilized our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) team to proactively identify and address the varied academic and social-emotional needs of all students.
● Universal screener iReady is used to show teachers the weaknesses in their student’s reading abilities. We use the iReady data to establish instructional lessons aligned to Amplify CKLA to fill the gaps in our student’s foundational and knowledge skills to increase their abilities in word recognition or language comprehension depending on the grade level of our students. In K-2nd we provide intervention in word recognition and for students in grades 3-5th we provide intervention in decoding and reading comprehension skills. Throughout the year, our students are taught skills targeted to meet individual needs to ensure academic success.
● iReady diagnostic assessments are given in the Fall, Winter, and Spring to enable teachers to see what skills have been mastered and what skills need to be retaught.
● Educators' goals are to achieve “have met” for all students who take the iReady universal screener.
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 provides Data Conference days between teacher and parent as well as IReady family letters at the end of each diagnostic to involve parents with bullets on how and what to do to help their child improve in the area of reading readiness.
● Literacy nights are days to reach out and spend time teaching parents on how to enjoy family educational fun nights with phonics games and read-alouds to develop a lifelong love for reading.
● School and teacher newsletters reinforcing how to create a world of reading and writing activities parents and students can enjoy at home.
● At-home daily lessons that encourage reading for fluency and writing assignments that allow students to practice sentence construction, creativity, communication and reading comprehension.
● We also send books home with students once a month to help grow their home libraries. Students also earn coins to go and obtain books from our school’s book vending machine to add to their home library collection.
Section E: Document how the school provides for the monitoring of reading achievement and growth at the classroom and school level with decisions about PreK-5th grade intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading.
● Progress monitoring occurs biweekly for grades 1st-5th with FastBridge. Students receive weekly intervention instruction to close the foundational skills in grammar and writing skills.
● Progress monitoring in Amplify CKLA for reading achievement and growth in the classroom is assessed at the beginning, middle and end of the year assessment.
● Progress monitoring in Amplify CKLA reading program is also taken at the end of each lesson and unit to ensure student growth in grades K-5th.
● Progress Monitoring in PreK is assessed twice a year in myIGIDI’s in the areas of phonemic awareness and phonics. Pre-K uses Creative Curriculum to teach the skills that students did not master on the myIGDIs assessment.
● We discuss and develop plans during our PLC meetings on how to monitor reading achievement and growth in our classrooms.
● At the school level the coaches and administrators conduct walkthroughs to help teachers with decisions about PreK-5 intervention needs.
Section F: Describe how the school provides teacher training based in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills to support all students in PreK-5th grade.
Professional Development
● Literacy Competencies for PreK-5th Grade Teachers
● Literacy Competencies for Administrators
● South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards
● Standards for Professional Learning
● Early Learning Standards for 4K
● REL Practice Guides on What Works Clearinghouse
● Foundational Reading Skills
● Our teachers are trained in LETRS, CKLA, SIPPS and iReady curricula that offer training in the science of reading, which focus on word recognition and language comprehension. Each reading program is rooted in the science of reading research which states that student reading success is based on explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics and reading comprehension.
● Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) program states it helps teachers understand literacy skills, diagnose reading problems, differentiate instruction, recognize why students struggle, and teach to increase student success in grades PreK-5th.
● Amplify CKLA helps educators spot and remediate students in skills development in grades K-5th.
● iReady reading promotes student achievement through targeted lessons based on diagnostic assessments.
● Teachers and coaches during our PLC meetings will continue to unpack and plan for units in CKLA that promote the science of reading in order to improve structured literacy and foundational literacy skills to students in grades PreK-5th.
Section G: Analysis of Data
Strengths
● Minnie Hughes MYIGDIs data (which represents 4K) shows that we took a dip in Rhyming and Sound Identification for our Black students. 23.8% of students scored Tier 1 in Spring 2023 opposed to 32.1% in the Spring of 2022.
● MHES Kindergarten scored 75% for students demonstrating readiness in the Fall on the KRA, whereas the district scored about 53.1%. This shows that students are entering Kindergarten ready to perform on grade level. The medium student percentile among K-1 students showed that Minnie Hughes is well on their way scoring higher. The goal is to continue that growth and ensure there are no gaps in instruction across grade levels.
● Minnie Hughes has made gains in student achievement. SC Ready ELA scores for students in grades 3-5 improved from 26.9% to 31.9% (vs 61.4% in CCSD). Both grades 3 and 5 improved; however, grade 4 decreased. Focusing on teacher professional development and the retention of effective staff are priorities in the coming year. In SC Ready Math, students also improved, increasing from 29.9% to 36.2% (vs 51.4% in CCSD). OGAP training and PLCs will be utilized to support math achievement.
● Teachers and parent community participate in a strategic plan and develop partnerships in order to promote reading and writing.
● Literacy nights that support community involvement.
● Teachers and parent community participate in monthly Read Aloud Nights, in which strategies are shared to help with fostering reading and writing at home.
● School Literacy Team books for students to take home to build home libraries to help foster reading at home.
● Schools uses “INTENTIONALLY ALL-IN Level Up” approach to Reading by utilizing the end-of-the-day blocks to reteach and provide enrichment small group literacy skills based on RIT Bands and skills.
● School is strategic about intervention schedule to eliminate students missing whole group instruction or small group time with their teacher.
Possibilities for Growth
● Development plan for explicit Text-Dependent writing.
● Provide a partnership with the local library for grade levels to travel to the library more frequently
● Incorporate more opportunities for teacher development with teacher reading and scaffolding to help lower-performing students meet grade- level standards
● Expand knowledge and use of I-Ready learning pathways, teacher toolbox, and reports.
● Utilize Creative Curriculum digital options.
Section H: Previous School Year SMART Goals and Progress Toward Those Goals
● 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, all schools serving third grade were required to use Goal #1 (below).
Goals
Goal #1 (Third Grade Goal): Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring Does Not Meet in the spring of 2023 as determined by SC READY from 32.3 % to 25% in the spring of 2024.
Progress
We were not able to reduce the percentage of third graders that scored
Does Not Meet in the Spring of 2023 as determined by SC Ready in the
Spring of 2024. In fact, we increased our Does Not Meet by 22.7 points to 55%.
Goal #2:
Improve the quality of Small Reading groups and rotation times for reading.
Progress
Overall, we were eventually able to ensure that reading groups were occurring in every class during the ELA block.
Goal #3:
Improve Tier 2 & 3 interventions with fidelity ensuring that students are
seen for pull-out services to intervention and progress monitoring.
Progress
Overall, we were able to ensure that Tier 3 interventions took
place each day allowing students to receive services for intervention and progress monitoring. Tier 2 interventions were not as consistent as we had teacher changes, and were without a certified reading interventionist much of the year and our Literacy Assistance was out on FMLA.
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 the same 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.
Goals
Goal #1 (Third Grade Goal): Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring Does Not Meet in the spring of 2024 as determined by SC READY from 55 % to 50% in the spring of 2025.
Progress
Set up a system of co-teaching with our resource teacher and teacher librarian to support sped and our lowest-performing students and create a love of reading for students.
2. Provide training opportunities for parents to support reading at home.
3. Ensure new teachers begin LETRS training
4. Ensure Targeted small group instruction is occurring using ALL Block, Skills Block, and/or Heggerty and iReady data
5. Conduct coaching cycles to support teacher improvement
6. Host Family data conferences each quarter
7. Conference with students each quarter and review goals
8. Utilize our Level-Up block to hit targeted phonemic skills that 3rd graders are missing.
9. Host School-based professional development to support Literacy Strategies.
Goal #2:
The percentage of students in the group ‘Pupils in Poverty’ at Minnie Hughes Elementary School in grades 3-5 scoring meets or exceeds on SC READY ELA will increase from 31.7% in June 2024 to 49.2% by June 2025.
Progress
1. Set up a system of co-teaching with our resource teacher and teacher librarian to support sped and our lowest-performing students and create a love of reading for students.
2. Provide training opportunities for parents to support reading at home.
3. Ensure Targeted small group instruction is occurring using ALL Block, Skills Block, and iReady data.
Goal #3:
Decrease the percentage of 1st graders that are 1 grade level below from 24% to 21%.
Progress
1. Progress monitor individualized iReady lessons
2. Implement small group instruction during reading and independent reading time.
3. Progress monitor students in FastBridge