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Read to Succeed Reading Plan

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?: 13 
  •  How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year (or have not yet started or completed Volume 1)?: 5

Section A: Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all PreK-5th 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 PreK-5th grade scholars is a comprehensive process that integrates various components essential for developing proficient readers. At W.B. Goodwin Elementary, scholars in grades PreK-5th focus on the five pillars of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). Our scholars progress through the framework that educators use to identify where they are in their reading development and tailor instruction to meet their individual needs. By supporting scholars through each of these stages, educators can foster a love of reading and ensure that all scholars become proficient readers. The curricula used to facilitate this learning includes Creative Curriculum, Heggerty instruction, and the CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) Skills and Knowledge strands.  

Creative Curriculum instruction (PreK) supports a comprehensive and engaging learning environment. By emphasizing experiential learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and holistic development, it equips scholars with the skills they need for academic success and sets the tone for future literacy learning. A key part of this foundation includes intentional instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics, which is embedded into daily activities to support early reading development. Through songs, stories, games, and guided practice, scholars begin to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language, as well as connect these sounds to letters and words. Our scholars participate in meaningful daily discussions that ignite conversations about different topics. This engagement allows educators to deepen their understanding, fostering exploration beyond the classroom.

Heggerty instruction (PreK–2) provides a structured and effective approach to developing critical phonemic awareness skills, which are foundational for reading success. It focuses on sound manipulation and language development, making it a valuable tool in early literacy instruction. Through daily, consistent routines, scholars build skills in rhyming, isolating beginning and ending sounds, segmenting, and blending phonemes—all of which contributes to stronger decoding and word recognition abilities. Our scholars enjoy the hands-on approach with blending and tapping out sounds, which not only supports auditory processing but also engages kinesthetic learners. This multisensory approach helps reinforce the connection between spoken and written language, laying the groundwork for confident, independent reading as they progress through their literacy journey.

The CKLA Skills Strand (K–2) curriculum provides a structured and comprehensive framework for developing critical literacy skills in young learners. By focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, scholars are equipped with the tools they need for successful reading and lifelong learning. The sequential nature of the curriculum ensures that foundational skills are introduced, practiced, and reinforced systematically, allowing students to build confidence as they progress. Explicit instruction in sound-letter correspondence and word recognition supports strong decoding skills, while repeated exposure to high-frequency words and engaging texts promotes automaticity and fluency. Small group differentiated instruction enables scholars to practice and enhance their literacy skills at their own pace, creating a more solid foundation. This targeted support allows educators to meet individual needs, address skill gaps promptly, and challenge students appropriately—ensuring all scholars are set up for long-term academic success. 

The CKLA Knowledge Lessons (K–5) curriculum supports a comprehensive approach to literacy and learning, equipping scholars with the skills they need to succeed academically and in life. By fostering engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking, these lessons help cultivate a love for learning and a deeper understanding of complex texts. The rich, content-based approach integrates science, history, literature, and the arts, enabling scholars to build background knowledge and vocabulary that are essential for strong reading comprehension. As scholars are exposed to a wide variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives, they not only expand their worldviews but also learn to make connections between texts and their own lives. 

Scholars are regularly assessed in all areas of reading and writing through both formal assessments (mid/end of the unit assessments, exit slips or written assignments) and informal methods (observations, class discussions or one-on-one reading). These ongoing assessments give teachers valuable insight into each student’s strengths and areas for improvement. With this information, teachers can adjust their instruction to meet students where they are—whether that means providing extra support, reteaching a skill, or offering enrichment. This intentional use of assessment data ensures that instruction is targeted and effective, supporting all students to make steady progress toward becoming confident, independent readers who can meet or exceed grade-level standards.

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

Through LETRS training, our educators have deepened their understanding of word recognition, enabling them to better support scholars in developing key reading skills. They are now equipped to strengthen students’ phonological awareness, decoding abilities, and recognition of high-frequency words—critical components of fluent reading. This research-based approach builds accuracy, automaticity, and fluency through intentional repetition and practice. Word recognition assessments are used regularly to measure scholars’ understanding of letter-sound relationships, decoding and encoding skills, and familiarity with high-frequency words. These assessments provide valuable data that guide instruction and help monitor progress. Educators use data notebooks to track growth, set goals, and reflect on their instruction. Differentiated small group instruction is then tailored to meet each scholar’s specific needs, ensuring targeted support that fosters ongoing development in literacy.

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 scholars in PreK-5th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency.  

We use the universal screener and diagnostic assessment data to identify and support PreK–5 scholars who are not meeting grade-level reading expectations. Universal screeners are given to all students to flag those at risk for reading difficulties, while diagnostic assessments dig deeper to determine whether the root cause is related to word recognition (e.g., phonics, decoding, fluency) or language comprehension (e.g., vocabulary, understanding text). Based on this data, our 1st-5th grade scholars are placed into targeted intervention pathways (within a certain percentile for tier 2 or 3) that address their specific needs, and their progress is closely monitored to adjust instruction and ensure they are on track toward reading proficiency.

The literacy coach, administration, and reading interventionists collaborate to analyze data from assessments like myIGDIs, KRA, FastBridge, and i-Ready reading diagnostics to determine the support needed for our scholars. They consider both current results and past growth, incorporating educator input for a holistic view. This teamwork enables the creation of flexible learning pathways. The MTSS process allows for further analysis to identify next steps, including Individual Problem Solving (IPS) or transitioning out of interventions.

 myIGDIs assist early childhood educators in monitoring and supporting literacy development. The KRA ensures kindergarten readiness for academic and social-emotional challenges. FastBridge provides comprehensive assessments for screening (K-1) and progress monitoring (K-5), helping educators make informed decisions. i-Ready diagnostics (K-5) guide instruction and track progress in reading, offering insights for tailored teaching strategies. 

This school year, we are re-assessing the i-Ready reading diagnostic for our 3rd-5th grade MLL scholars after the 22nd day of initial testing in their native language (Spanish) because it will help us to determine whether reading difficulties are due to a true learning challenge or limited English proficiency. It provides a clearer picture of our scholars’ foundational skills and prevents misidentification. Overall, this data driven approach ensures that instruction is tailored to meet the specific needs of each of our scholars, ultimately fostering a life-long love for reading.

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 system for engaging parents in supporting literacy at home is multifaceted, involving workshops, resources, direct communication, parent-teacher conferences, and community events. This collaborative approach empowers parents to play an active role in their child’s reading and writing journeys. Parents are actively involved in discussions about data that affect their child’s education. Throughout the school year, they are invited to participate in various programs such as Principal Chats, Parenting Classes, Data Conferences, Literacy Night, and Book Fairs. Parents are encouraged to reach out to their child’s teacher if they have any academic concerns in literacy. Teachers are encouraged to do the same. Additionally, we provide printed and online resources and newsletters that offer strategies for supporting their child’s reading and writing development at home. Last year, we embarked (pun intended) on PAWS for Literacy as a way to bring trained therapy dogs into our school to encourage and promote literacy through reading. It allowed our scholars to see the value of the home-school connection. We’re excited to continue this program this school year, focusing on our 1st grade scholars. 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-5th grade intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading. 

Our school has established a systematic approach to monitor reading achievement and growth for scholars in grades PreK-5th, ensuring effective intervention strategies are implemented based on comprehensive data analysis. Here’s how this process in our school is structured: 

1. Regular Assessments 

  • Diagnostic Assessments: Tools like myIGDIs(PK), KRA (K), FastBridge (K-5), Derivita, and i-Ready (K-5) diagnostics are administered 3 times throughout the school year to evaluate our scholars’ reading levels and identify specific areas of need. 
  • Formative Assessments: Ongoing classroom assessments, including running records and informal observations (particularly in CKLA Skills), provide real-time insights into our scholars’ progress. 

2. Data Analysis Meetings 

  • Trend Checks: Literacy coach meets monthly with interventionists to analyze scholar academic data. They discuss individual scholar performance, trends, and areas requiring additional support. 
  • MTSS Team: Meets weekly to evaluate classroom and school-wide data, identify patterns in reading achievement across grade levels, discuss instructional strategies and interventions, create a continuum map for literacy, and analyze trends in attendance, truancy, and behavior that could potentially impact scholars’ academic success. 
  • Grade Level Team / Personalized Learning Community (PLC): Meets weekly to internalize curriculum, plan lessons, review student data, identify who needs extra support, and make adjustments to instruction accordingly. This collaboration ensures best teaching practices and helps provide timely, targeted support to improve student progress.

3. Individualized Intervention Plans 
●  Targeted Interventions: Based on data analysis, scholars identified as either Tier 2 or 3 are placed in targeted intervention programs. These    interventions are designed to address specific skill gaps in the five pillars of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). 
●  Progress Monitoring: The effectiveness of interventions are tracked through regular progress monitoring assessments (FastBridge) . Adjustments are made based on scholar performance to ensure interventions remain effective. Parents are provided with quarterly progress reports and suggestions about how they can assist their child at home. 

4. Communication with Parents 

  • Data Conferences: Parents are invited to data conferences where educators share their child’s reading progress and discuss strategies for home support. This collaboration ensures that parents are informed and engaged in their child’s learning journey. 
  •  Progress Reports: Regular progress reports provide parents with updates on their child’s reading achievement and growth. End of the quarter report cards provide parents with a final snapshot of their child’s progress towards grade-level proficiency. 
  • Tips for How Parents Can Help at Home: Periodically, parents receive reading tips to support and engage in their child’s learning and reinforce reading skills outside the classroom. This support helps create a consistent reading environment that encourages practice and builds confidence at home.
  • ClassDojo Posts: Posting pictures on ClassDojo shows parents what their child is reading and practicing, giving them clear ways to support reading at home. It also helps keep families stay connected to the classroom and encourages regular reading habits.
  • Home Libraries: Parents are encouraged to create a home library using free, high-quality books provided by Book Angels, a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting childhood literacy. We offer a wide selection of books in every genre, reading level and language (Spanish), ensuring there's something for every child’s interest and age.

5. School-Wide Literacy Initiatives 

  • Literacy Nights and Workshops: The school organizes events to promote literacy and educate parents on ways to support reading at home. These initiatives foster a community-wide commitment to improving reading proficiency. 
  • Professional Development: Ongoing training for educators ensures they are equipped with the latest strategies and best practices for teaching reading and supporting diverse learners. 
  • Teacher Tuesday: The literacy coach sets up a collaboration with teachers to conduct a read aloud on the morning news show. They are encouraged to read aloud their favorite book or poem because it models a love of reading for students and sparks their interest in stories. It also helps build a positive school-wide reading culture and encourages students to explore new books in the library.
  • Bilingual Family Story Time Program: The goal of this program is to promote early literacy and equip parents with strategies to support reading at home. Parents will be invited to join the class once a month to listen to a bilingual story and participate in an activity with their child. They will receive the book to build their home library. We will focus on our kindergarten scholars.

All in all, this data-driven approach helps to foster a responsive educational environment that meets the diverse needs of our scholars.

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. 

Over the past two years, we have focused on equipping educators with the latest research-based best practices. Most of our educators (K-3) are now LETRS certified, enabling them to effectively apply the knowledge gained from their training in the classroom with scholars. More K-5 educators are currently enrolled in the training for this school year.
Our school follows the state/district adopted curricula (Heggerty and CKLA) which are aligned with the Science of Reading principles, ensuring that all educators are trained to deliver consistent and effective instruction. Educators have access to a variety of resources, including lesson plans, instructional materials, and assessment tools that support structured literacy practices. 

Educators participate in weekly PLCs where they internalize upcoming lessons, engage in a data analysis process, collaborate to share best teaching practices, discuss any areas of improvement, and develop instructional strategies based on the Science of Reading. Through peer observations, educators are encouraged to observe their colleagues’ classrooms to observe different instructional techniques and approaches in action. 
Our literacy coach works closely with educators to provide personalized support and guidance in implementing structured literacy practices in their classrooms. This includes modeling lessons, co-teaching, over-the-shoulder peer observations, and offering targeted feedback with bite-sized, observable, practice-able, highest leverage action steps that can be implemented within a week (Get Better Faster). The coach also provides ongoing support by conducting regular check-ins based on individual educator needs and scholar outcomes. Through reflection, coaching cycles, and walkthrough observations, we continuously monitor and adjust our instructional strategies to ensure we effectively meet the needs of both our scholars and educators. 

Section G: Analysis of Data 

Strengths 
Possibilities for Growth
● Implementation of Heggerty in grades PreK-2nd. 
● Implementation of CKLA Skills Strands in grades K-2nd. 
● Align the 2024-25 adopted state standards with the curriculum to determine any gaps. 
● Establish and directly teach routines and standard operating procedures to ensure instructional success. 
● Collaborate in school-wide and district-wide
professional development/learning opportunities. 
● Ensure classrooms are well organized, student artifacts are displayed, and grade level appropriate materials are utilized. 
● PLCs are focused on empowering educators through internalization to make the necessary shifts in their instructional delivery and assessment.
Implementation of CKLA Knowledge Strands in grades K-5th.
Train educators on how to confer with scholars regularly to promote accountability and reflection. 
● Continue to increase focus and encourage parental involvement by providing opportunities with literacy development through newsletters, Zoom meetings, Principal chats, community meetings, and/or parent conferences. 
● Ensuring classroom libraries are current and have 
    relevant meaningful texts. 
● Since this is a transitional year with our curriculum,    
    ensure educators understand shifts and how to  
    internalize better. 
● Educators will prioritize instruction based on the 
    internalization process.
Know and understand the 2024-25 adopted state standards and how they connect to our CKLA learning targets.
Provide scholars with a voice and choice in what they read, write, and research to increase engagement, foster ownership of their learning, and develop critical thinking skills.

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 
Progress
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 43% to 38% in the spring of 2025. 
● Departmentalize 3rd grade to ensure a holistic approach to student learning including small group differentiated instruction 
● Continue to implement EL Module lessons 
● Conduct instructional coaching cycles based on i-Ready data to support instruction 
● Provide strategic intervention for Tier 2 and Tier 3 scholars 
● Ensure parents acknowledge and understand R2S requirements or ramifications through data conferencing 
● Utilize data notebooks for educators and scholars
● Examine feasibility of creating an after school tutoring program for Tier 2 scholars 
● Complete LETRS training – Volume 2 (1 teacher only)
Goal #2: N/A

Goal #3: N/A

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 
Action Steps
Goal #1 (Third Grade Goal): Increase the percentage of third graders scoring Meets or Exceeds in the spring of 2025 as determined by SC READY from 29.4% to 35% in the spring of 2026. 

  • Continue to departmentalize in 3rd grade by adding a teacher to reduce class size and intentionally focus on a holistic approach to student learning.
  • Create opportunities to implement a push-in, blended model in collaboration with the Department of Exceptional Children to support literacy growth for students.
  • Fully internalize, plan, practice, and implement the CKLA Knowledge units/lessons. 
  • Conduct instructional coaching cycles based on walkthrough observation data to support instruction. 
  • Provide strategic intervention for Tier 2 and Tier 3 scholars. 
  • Ensure parents acknowledge and understand R2S requirements or ramifications through data conferencing and/or parent-teacher conferencing.
  • Examine feasibility of creating a tutoring program for our Tier 2 scholars.

Goal #2: Increase the percentage of first graders scoring Low Risk in the fall of 2025 as determined by FastBridge Early Reading English from 13% to 25% in the spring of 2026. 

  • Implement Heggerty Phonemic Awareness curriculum with integrity and fidelity (PreK-2).
  • Internalize, plan, and implement CKLA Skills strand.
  • Conduct ongoing job embedded professional development with curricula including model lessons, co-teaching, and over-the-shoulder peer observations.
  • Teachers will regularly analyze data to make instructional adjustments or accommodations as needed.
  • Conduct instructional coaching cycles based on walkthrough observation data to support instruction. 

Goal #3: N/A