Read to Succeed Reading Plan

 

South Carolina Department of Education

Read to Succeed Primary and Elementary Reading Plan

2025-2026

 

Directions: Please provide a narrative response for Sections A-I. 

 

LETRS Questions: 

• How many teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS? 9
• How many teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS? 6
• How many teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year? 2
• 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? 1
• How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school are beginning EC LETRS this year? 0

 

Section A: Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all PreK-5^th grade students in the school includes oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards.

 

Reading assessment and instruction for Pre-K students at JIES is implemented through Creative Curriculum. This comprehensive, research-based program incorporates language, literacy, and math through the use of thematic units centered around play and hands-on investigations. Our Pre-K students also engage in daily phonemic awareness using the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness program. 

 

Our Pre-Kindergarten students are administered myIGDIs 1-on-1 as their diagnostic assessment in the fall, winter, and spring. myIGDIs is a kindergarten readiness assessment program with early literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development indicators. The results are used to show if students are meeting growth expectations or require more intensive support. The assessments measure oral language, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and comprehension. 

 

Teachers in kindergarten through 5th grade utilize the Amplify CKLA curriculum for reading assessment and instruction. This curriculum is rooted in the science of reading: assessment, core curriculum, personalized learning, and intervention. Students in kindergarten through 2nd grade receive 60 minutes of phonics instruction and 60 minutes of reading and writing instruction. 3rd-grade students receive 120 minutes of core instruction. 4th and 5th-grade students receive 90 minutes of core instruction and 30 minutes of differentiated, small-group instruction. 

 

Kindergarten through 5th-grade teachers administer the i-Ready diagnostic assessment three times a year (fall, winter and spring). Students are assessed in phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, vocabulary, and comprehension. After the diagnostic, students are assigned personalized lessons to meet their individual needs. 

 

Section B: Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5^th grade students are further aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills.

 

At James Island Elementary School, we are currently implementing CKLA beginning-of-the-year assessments in grades K-5^th to determine entry levels for each student and identify the mastery or non-mastery of prerequisite skills. Teachers provide on-grade-level whole-group instruction to every student and scaffold instruction based on the pre-assessments to fill in gaps for Tier II and Tier III intervention. Students are also given the CKLA assessment at the middle and end of the year to measure their growth during the academic year. 

 

Teachers are utilizing strategies from LETRS and UFLI as they implement explicit phonics instruction. Teachers are unpacking standards, learning goals, and assessments to understand what they are teaching. Our teachers utilize the Amplify CKLA curriculum to introduce students to new vocabulary, incorporating weekly assessments and various activities to deepen their understanding of the content knowledge. 

 

In Kindergarten and 1st grade, we assess students using FastBridge (earlyReading subtests) to identify high-frequency words students know. The data gathered allows teachers to tailor instruction to expand students' vocabulary and word recognition skills. 

 

For phonemic awareness, we are integrating Heggerty in grades Headstart, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1^st and 2^nd grade to enhance students' phonetic skills (phonological awareness).

 

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-5^th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency.  

 

Our Pre-Kindergarten students are given the Dial-4 screener upon entering the pre-kindergarten program, and myIGIDIs three times per year (fall, winter, spring). In addition, our kindergarten and first-grade students are administered the Fastbridge (earlyReading subtests). Kindergarten teachers also administer the KRA to collect beginning-of-the-year readiness data during the first quarter of the school year. 

 

Students in Kindergarten - 5th grade take the i-Ready diagnostic assessment three times per year (fall, winter, spring). After each diagnostic, the MTSS and Literacy teams review the data by percentile, grade level placement, domains, and subgroups. Students performing below the 25th percentile in grades 2-5 are given the FastBridge Oral Reading Fluency assessment by the classroom teacher or reading interventionist. This additional data point provides more information on the area of focus as we provide Tier II and Tier III intervention support. 

 

The data are reviewed by the Literacy team to determine the need for classroom Tier II instruction, or Tier II/ Tier III instruction with a literacy interventionist. Our pull-out intervention services implement the SPIRE curriculum for students in K-2, and 3-5 as needed for word recognition support. Students receiving pull-out intervention services in grades 3-5 receive support using the i-Ready Magnetic Reading curriculum for language comprehension. Students with reading services through their IEP receive an individualized curriculum based on needs determined by the above assessments.

 

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.

 

After each i-Ready diagnostic, teachers send home the i-Ready For Families report for reading. This report explains students' placement levels and gives families ways to support their child and meet their needs based on the results of their diagnostic. 

 

Every Monday, teachers send home print and digital newsletters letting families know what students will be learning for the week in reading, as well as tips for things to do at home. 

 

All families are invited to and attend a data conference each quarter and more frequently as needed. Families are provided with Caregiver Letters at the beginning of each ELA instructional unit that provide them with an overview of the standards that will be covered within the unit and strategies for families to engage in learning activities and provide support at home.

 

Our Literacy Team, led by our reading coach, teacher librarian, and a teacher from each grade level in Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade, hosts two Family Reading Nights each year for families to learn about classroom instruction and the ELA curriculum. The team provides families with materials and activities they can use at home to support teaching and learning. The team also hosts reading initiatives during winter and spring break, partnering with our local neighborhood library. 

 

All K-3 parents also receive a Read to Succeed Family Letter, translated into 10+ languages, that outlines in family-friendly language: What is the Science of Reading?, What does the South Carolina Read to Succeed Act mean for my student?, How will the school keep me informed about my student’s reading development?, How can I help my student become a good reader?, in addition to a direct link to the CCSD Read to Succeed webpage which includes even more ideas for supporting readers at home.

 

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-5^th grade intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading. 

 

At James Island Elementary, we monitor reading achievement and growth using several methods. In Pre-Kindergarten, we use the myIGDIs assessments three times a year while providing targeted instruction based on student performance. Our Kindergarten and 1st-grade administer Fastbridge earlyReading subtests, in addition to the i-Ready diagnostic in grades Kindergarten through 5th. 

 

Students in grades 3-5 are administered district ELA benchmark assessments, and CKLA mid-unit and unit assessments

 

Students in reading intervention are given weekly FastBridge assessments for progress monitoring. Students who score below the 25^th percentile on i-Ready and/or Fastbridge receive Tier II intervention inside the classroom and Tier III instruction outside of the classroom with weekly progress monitoring. 

 

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-5^th grade.

 

In partnership with the school district, our school-based leadership team provides teachers with a variety of professional development opportunities. Teachers attended district-level training on the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills from CKLA leaders. Our teachers also engage in Professional Learning Community sessions where they unpack the ELA standards and CKLA units. They align assessments with the standards being addressed. Many teachers have participated in or are participating in LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training. Teachers also receive instructional feedback from regular classroom observations. 

 

Section G: Analysis of Data

 

 

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).

 

 

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. Note the change in language for the 3^rd grade goal to align with the 2030 vision of 75% of students at or above grade level.  Schools that do not serve third grade students may choose a different goal. Goals should be academically measurable. All goals should align with academic growth or achievement. Schools must provide a minimum of two goals.

 

• Schools are strongly encouraged to incorporate goals from the school renewal plan. Utilize a triangulation of appropriate and available data (i.e. SC READY, screeners, MTSS progress monitoring, benchmark assessments, and observational data) to set reasonable goal(s) for the current school year.