Reading well by third grade is one of many developmental milestones in a child’s educational journey. Reading well by grade three ensures that a student has a solid foundation of literacy skills to continue to expand their understanding of what they read, make meaning, and transfer that learning across all subject areas.  Instruction that provides the basis for all students to read well by third grade and beyond will help close the achievement gap and ensure that all students are ready for the demands of college and the workplace.  From cradle to career, a sustained effort to create quality literacy environments in all of our schools and programs from birth through grade 12 promotes academic success. – Minnesota Statute 120B.12

Overview

As stated above, a school district must adopt a local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level no later than the end of grade 3. This literacy plan must include a process to assess students’ level of reading proficiency, notify/ involve parents, have interventions in place for students who are not reading at or above grade level, and identify and meet staff development needs to ensure all students are reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.

This document outlines how HOPE Community Academy will address each of these requirements for our students in Kindergarten through Third Grade.

Reading Goals

HOPE Community Academy strives to develop positive, proficient readers. English Language Learners will be a focus to ensure all students are fluent enough to focus on comprehension, and have strong ability to read a variety of texts. We strive to ensure all students have academically rigorous opportunities that ensure they are life-long learners.  We will use our MTSS process and PLC data dives to ensure we are using the data to meet the needs of students who are right in front of us.

The reading goals for HOPE include:

•       Striving to ensure each child can read at grade level or above by third grade.
•       Work collaboratively across grade levels and subject areas to develop proficient readers.

●       Use the MTSS process to look at data and exactly what our students need to provide appropriate extensions and interventions for students in regards to reading.

Reading Goals 2022-2023

In 2020-2021, there was no Reading goal.  Since there was no reading goal we will set our goal for 2022-2023 to increase the percentage of students meeting benchmarks up to 20% for Kindergarten and first grade and 30% for second and third grade. 

District Results from Spring 2021-2022

Assessment Process

General Reading Assessments

•   Students in Kindergarten and first grade take the early reading assessment while grades 2-5 take the adaptive Reading assessment. Interventions and extensions are planned based on the testing results. 
• Summative curriculum assessments administered to assess students’ growth towards standards. Test results are used to determine whether students have acquired the skills and strategies to be on-track for grade level standards success.
• Grade 3 students are given the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCAs) in the spring.  Students who meet or exceed MCA proficiency measures are considered at grade level and are likely to need only core instruction.
• Teachers assess students’ reading levels consistently throughout the school year utilizing formative and summative assessments to determine the appropriate instructional level based on the ELA standards.  Information is used for interventions such as Early Literacy, Letters, and Foundations. 
• Title services and flexible grouping are used in the classroom to provide support during the literacy block and W.I.N.N time is utilized to give extra intervention time as needed. 

Screening Assessments

Decision making is an integral part of the MTSS process of interventions and extensions.  Grade level teams are given PLC time to interpret data to identify class-wide and/or individual needs for extension and interventions. 

• FastBridge is given to all students in Grades K-3, three times a year (fall, winter, spring) by the classroom teacher or trained proctor as a screener.
  • earlyReading is an evidence-based assessment used to screen student progress. This assessment will be administered in Grades K-1.  Each assessment is designed to be highly efficient and inform instruction.
  •  aReading (Adaptive Reading) is a computer-administered adaptive measure of broad reading that is individualized for each student that will be given in grades 2-5.  aReading is designed for Universal Screening to identify students at risk for academic delays for all students.

•  FastBridge is used to identify students who are below grade level  and monitor student growth using the FastBridge Benchmark Standards.  Parents receive the results of these screenings at the fall and spring conferences with a final report sent home at the end of the school year. 
• Benchmarks will be based on recommendations from FastBridge.
• Fastbridge screening will be used to screen for Dyslexia.

Progress Monitoring

• Progress monitoring happens regularly with the Title 1 staff for students who receive extra support based on diagnostic assessment data. 
• Progress monitoring and classroom formative assessments are used to determine how effective the instruction is and adapt instruction based on individual student needs. 
• Teachers will use FastBridge, unit assessments, and formative assessments to monitor progress in grades K-3. Frequency of assessments is determined by the Classroom and Title 1 Teacher. 

 Parent Notifications and Involvement

Family communication is a priority for HOPE Community Academy and happens on a regular basis. Communication with familConferenfes, parent newsletters, and regular classroom communications are utilized to ensure parents are aware of students’ growth as readers. Title 1 Teachers meet individually or have a conversation with each family that qualifies for Title 1 Services to discuss the assessments and plans for growth. Families are also invited to participate in quarterly Title One/Parent University eventings to build relationships with staff and develop strategies for supporting their child as they strengthen their literacy skills.

Report cards are sent home four times per year and will include information regarding the students’ progress towards reading proficiently. 

Parents are notified when students participate in pull-in or pull-out literacy programs.  Progress reports for Tier II & Tier III are shared twice during the school year with parents.

Other Literacy Information Shared with Parents

•       School newsletter
•       Classroom and school websites with resources and tips for parents
•       Title I Parent Nights, and Parent University Nights
•       Student results are shared at conferences and at the end of the year. Final Minnesota Comprehensive Results are shared once received from the Minnesota Department of Education

Interventions and Instructional Supports

Reading proficiency is defined by FastBridge benchmarks. Reading proficiency will be ensured for ALL students in kindergarten through grade 3 by multiple measures of assessment, data driven decision making, and a MTSS approach to support and improve literacy skills. Students who are not reading at grade level will receive research-based interventions and will be progress monitored until proficiency is attained. Interventions will supplement, not replace core reading instructional time.

Core Literacy Instruction

For the core literacy program,  HOPE uses the Wonders curriculum. Wonders provides examples and opportunities for extensions and interventions within the lesson plans. It provides strong vocabulary instruction to our many EL students. 

 PK-5 Elementary Classroom Teachers are expected to:

•  Integrate reading instruction into all areas of the curriculum
• Provide a literacy friendly and enriching classroom environment
• Monitor student reading progress and provide interventions and extensions for readers at all levels

Reading Teacher or Title I Teacher are expected to:

• Teach reading strategies to individual or small groups of students
• Assess individuals and groups of students to identify instructional reading needs
•  Use Assessments information to:

o       Design and implement appropriate reading interventions

o       Monitor reading growth

• Collaborates and communicates with classroom teachers and parents, etc.

 Interventions and Extension 

Intervention programs assist students who are struggling with literacy.  Based on the results of screening and diagnostic assessments and teacher recommendation, students will receive a multi-tiered level of support that includes researched based interventions.  These interventions will target skill deficits in the area of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Tiers for HOPE’s MTSS include:

•       Tier I:  Core Support

 All students receive strong core instruction in Tier 1.  Students who are at or above benchmark and are making sufficient academic growth will have their needs met through instruction in the core curriculum.  Students performing below or significantly above grade level or show signs of dyslexia may receive additional services in Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 through title EL, or Sped services.

•       Tier II: Extra Support

Students who are below grade level are supported through classroom leveled groups and small groups outside the classroom via the Title I Program.  Additional support is provided during a scheduled, uninterrupted, 90 minute literacy block. Instruction and/or interventions are administered by trained staff three – five times per week, 25-30 minutes per session during literacy rotations.  

o       Instructional supports include:

• Support regarding the 5+1 Reading pillars
• The  Fundations reading program
• Read Naturally Live
•       Tier III: Intensive Support

o       Students who are significantly below grade level are supported by interventions and specific programs which often occur outside the classroom.  Instruction and/or interventions are administered by trained staff five times per week. 

o       Instructional supports include:

▪        Title 1 Teacher –  students receive intensive interventions targeting individualized literacy goals in grades K-5

▪        Special Education – instruction and interventions targeted to students’ individual needs as indicated by an Individual Education Plan (IEP), must meet state qualification guidelines for students in grades K-5

▪        EL services will be incorporated into the literacy block and W.I.N.N Time based on student needs and skill

▪        SPED’s ESY and Summer School – for at-risk students they are to attend summer school for 6 weeks during the summer

In September, all students are screened K-5 and the most at-risk students are identified based on fall assessment data.  These students will begin receiving targeted services within one month of the school year starting.  Each student who is below target on the fall assessment in grades K-5 will be given a diagnostic assessment.  Each student identified at-risk via diagnostic assessment will be progress monitored.  If appropriate gains are not being made, students will be brought to the HUB leadership team or PLC for further discussion and planning of the next steps for intervention strategies.

All K-5 students will be rescreened by January or February.  Students who are below target on the winter assessment in grades K-5 will be given a diagnostic assessment, if not given in the fall.  If appropriate gains are not being made by any student or they are sliding backwards in risk factors, these students will be brought to the building student assistance team/PLC for further discussion and planning of the next steps for intervention strategies.

All K-5 students will be given a spring FastBridge assessment to assess growth for the school year. 

Professional Development

Professional development is data-driven, ongoing and inclusive of all teachers.  It is delivered in a variety of formats and aligned with school and/or district goals.

•       The first Friday of each month is a half day for students. This is so staff can focus on professional development pertaining to the needs of our students. 
•       Title 1 staff will provide professional development on structured literacy reading programs and research behind the science of reading.
•       District Reading Specialists, Title 1 Interventionists, and Special Education teachers will receive LETRS training.
•       Culturally and Linguistically Responsive (CLR) Teaching training
•       Formal MTSS/PLC training from instructional coaches. 
•       HOPE PLCs will look at classroom data and screening information, formative and summative assessments for each unit.
•       Teacher Talk Tuesday’s and Deep Dive PLC meetings on Thursday will be a time for teams to meet to reflect on student progress, review data, and align instruction to academic standards and learner outcomes.  Title I teachers, Special Education teachers, EL teachers and Reading teachers are included in discussions.
•     HUB will review student data to determine professional development goals.

Training and Resources Regarding EL students

HOPE offers an EL instructional program which promotes students’ English language proficiency and builds academic content knowledge by integrating subject areas with language acquisition strategies.  English Learners acquire English through participation in age-appropriate instruction aligned to content standards as well as English language proficiency standards.  The primary objective of teaching language through content is to make the curriculum available to students at all levels of English proficiency.

Data used to plan programming for English Learners include ACCESS, MCAs,  and FastBridge report.

At the K-3 level, one or two classrooms per grade are identified as  EL Cluster rooms.  The EL Cluster teachers and EL licensed teachers collaborate to teach language through content using district curriculum supported by second language acquisition strategies.  Benchmark Universe is currently being utilized by EL teachers to provide reading instruction and progress monitoring.

EL students who are reading below grade level may receive reading interventions in addition to EL services.

EL Cluster Teachers and EL Licensed staff will be trained in SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). 

The Monticello Reading Well by Third Grade Literacy Plan will be posted on the Monticello District Website by June 30th of each year.  Feedback will be sought through a survey on the district web page where stakeholders may respond to questions in the following areas:

•       Accessibility of information
•       Usefulness of documents
•       Support for implementing effective strategies at home

Next Steps

During the 2022-2023 school year HOPE will focus on writing unit overviews that focus on differentiation for students using MTSS and learning to use culturally responsive instructional strategies . Our goal is to continue to improve the academic achievement of our students, to critically review our literacy plan and make changes to address ALL our students’ needs, to analyze research and data to make programming decisions, continue with a strong tradition of communication with parents and to establish more opportunities for LETRS training for our reading teachers.