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?: 2
● 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)?: 24
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.
At Chicora Elementary School, teachers ensure that instructional content includes comprehension, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary. Teachers have access to and use assessments and high-quality curricula that support comprehension, concepts about print, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, fluency, and vocabulary development. We achieve this by using: Data-Driven Protocol; EL Modules (grades 1-5); EL All Block (grades 3-5); CKLA Skills lessons (grades 1-2); CKLA Writing lessons (grades 3-5); CKLA Intervention; Heggerty; Agendas from PLCs; Grade-Level Team and Literacy Team meetings; See It - Name It - Do It Protocol; Fastbridge; I-Ready; Reading Logs; Anecdotal Notes; Phonological Awareness Screener Running Records Phonics Screener; and Sample Writings.
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.
In 1st and 2nd grade, Amplify CKLA Skills component is used. It has explicit and systematic foundational skills instruction grounded in the science of reading and aligns with foundational literacy skills. Placement assessments are given at the beginning of the year and include a word recognition assessment, text reading, and letter names/sounds. In grades 1-5, EL is used for core reading instruction, and in grades 3-5, All Block is used. EL is a high-quality curriculum that incorporates a knowledge-building sequence and has writing embedded, which includes composing various types of composition writing, as well as extended responses to comprehension questions. The curriculum assesses and instructs on grammar and morphology in all grades. The intervention piece of CKLA will be used to remediate students in foundational skills and word recognition and is aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational skills through the comprehensive structure of the curriculum. CKLA Intervention includes a placement assessment that assesses foundational skills. A teacher then uses the assessment data to determine student grouping and scope and sequence.
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.
Universal screeners and diagnostic assessments are given three times a year (Fall, Winter, and Spring). In grades 1st-5th students complete the iReady diagnostics and in 1st grade, FastBridge Early Reading is given. Students who are identified as Tiers II and III (below the 25th percentile) are eligible for small-group pull-out intervention services, using the Magnetic Reading curriculum, in grades 2-5. These groupings will change based on iReady and FastBridge data after Winter screeners and diagnostics are completed. Within the classroom, data collection and analysis determine interventions that will be given within the classroom. CKLA Skills beginning of the year assessment (in grades 1-2) is used to determine intervention pathways with teachers providing Tier II support.
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.
At Chicora Elementary School, we offer many opportunities for families to support students as a reader and writers at home. Data conferences are held to discuss individual Fall screener/diagnostic assessments, as well as SC Ready data from the previous year. After each screener/diagnostic assessment (Fall, Winter, and Spring), families will receive a report detailing the results of said assessment. We also hold family involvement nights which include open houses, parent workshops, and Family Literacy Nights. Newsletters are sent home to families by each grade level, as well as Chicora sending home a monthly newsletter. In grades 1-2, teachers send home the Provided Amplify CKLA Caregiver letters. Chicora has an open-door policy where families have access to visit classes and are able and encouraged to schedule meetings/phone calls with teachers. Teachers are also required to communicate with families on the progress of their students.
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.
Chicora monitors reading achievement and growth, at both the classroom and school levels, using all available data to guide instruction so students read at grade-level proficiency. We do this through targeted weekly PLCs, shared learning, grade-level planning, weekly coaches/admin meetings, and MTSS meetings. We have three literacy interventionists that use iReady and Fastbridge diagnostics, as well as progress monitoring to form intervention groups and drive instruction. During PLCs, we analyze data and use it to guide instruction. This is done by teachers working closely with grade-level teams, administrative teams, and coaches. The data we analyze is used to make instructional decisions for student grouping and individualized instruction. Teachers also conference with students regularly to monitor progress and create individualized goals. Our school is participating in the DRC Beacon pilot program with our 3rd graders to achieve Charleston County School District's Vision 2027: All students will read on grade level by fifth grade by 2027. The DRC Beacon is a tool from the state our 3rd graders will take as benchmarks to gauge reading proficiency and we will use the data to further drive instruction.
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.
Teachers participate in on-going, job-embedded professional learning opportunities based on school data through: grade-level and content-area PLCs; collaboration with the school reading coach (including coaching cycles); teacher action research, collaborative planning, peer observations and shared learning cycles. All teachers have attended training for Amplify CKLA. As the school year progresses, we will build on the curriculum with a full implementation of CKLA at the start of the fourth quarter. Administrators participate in professional learning opportunities within and outside the school district based on personal needs and/or school-wide data, such as, collaboration with other administrators, coaching conversations, professional development and conference and professional reading, in order to provide additional training to teachers. Currently, most of our teachers in 1st-3rd are trained in LETRS and those who are not are in the process of completing the program. Our school reading coach is in the process of receiving certification in both LETRS and the Literacy Coach endorsement.
All of our teachers in grades 1st through 3rd are in the process of being trained in LETRS. However, we have a few teachers and paraprofessionals who have completed LETRS training. Our teachers have also attended training for Amplify CKLA and continue to weekly plan and build on curriculum in weekly PLCs with our reading coach, who is also LETRS and Literacy Coach certified.
Section G: Analysis of Data
Strengths
● Providing teachers with professional learning based on their interests and needs according to school data;
● Diagnostic assessments are used to make informative data-decisions and monitor student growth;
● Research-based high quality reading and writing instruction for all grade levels (EL and CKLA curriculums);
● Use data-driven instruction to ensure targeting for specific areas for growth and enrichment;
● Streamline intervention services to ensure research based instruction and strategies are used to target and close gaps in reading;
● Collaborative planning (grade level and PLCs) to meet the instructional needs of our students (including effectively analyzing data and determining instructional gaps, planning rigorous instruction) using DDI protocol;
● Collaborative planning to meet the instructional needs of students and internalization of EL and CKLA curriculums;
● Weekly Leadership meetings to monitor literacy goals;
● Weekly MTSS meetings to determine progress for Tier II and Tier III students and monitor Tier I and implement changes, as needed;
● Provide opportunities for parent involvement with literacy development, including parent workshops, parent conferences, and newsletters.
Possibilities for Growth
● Teachers provide opportunities for students to develop conceptual knowledge in a discipline by using the habits of reading, writing, talking and thinking;
● Monitoring reteaching plans to targeted instruction;
● Continue implementing EL curriculum (grades 1st-5th) with fidelity, including All Block (Grades 3rd-5th).
● Implementation and teaching fidelity of new CKLA Skills curriculum (grades 1st-2nd);
● Provide targeted professional development on the use of iReady to provide targeted instruction;
● Professional learning on strategies and best practices for students learning English as a second language;
● Implementing programs and systems with fidelity;
● Communication with all stakeholders.
● All teachers in 1st-3rd be certified in LETRS.
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 58.2% to 50 % in the spring of 2024
Progress:
In the Spring of 2024, 65.7% of 3rd graders scored Does Not Meet on SCReady.
Goal #2:
By May 2024, 60% of students tested in grades 2 through 5 will make one year growth on iReady Fall to Spring reading scores.
Progress:
In May 2024, 44.1% of 2nd-5th grade students met their typical growth reading goals on iReady indicating one year growth from fall to spring.
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 65.7% to 55% in the spring of 2025.
Action Steps:
● Monitor EL (including ALL Block) instruction
● Ongoing Professional Development with EL curriculum including model lessons, peer observations, and coaching partnership
● Regularly discuss and analyze data during grade level meetings, PLC meetings, and Literacy Team in order to make adjustments in instruction as needed
● Streamline intervention services for all students (targeting R2S students)
● Teachers will conference with students about their reading behaviors
● DRC Beacon Assessment
● Ongoing communication with parents and community
● Implementation of TDW style writing using quarterly writing assessments and the writing portion of CKLA.
● Implementation of CKLA Intervention during All Block
Goal #2:
By May 2025, 60% of students tested in grades 2 through 5 will make one year growth on iReady Fall to Spring reading scores.
Action Steps:
● Monitor EL (including ALL block)
● Analyze and use reading data from iReady to personalize literacy instruction and remediate or accelerate, as appropriate
● Streamline intervention services for students (targeting R2S students)
● Ongoing professional development
● Ongoing coaching cycles
● Teachers will regularly conference with students regarding iReady data
● Weekly iReady data review during PLCs