Academics

 

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? 29
• How many teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS? 3
• How many teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year? 3
• How many teachers in your school are beginning Volume 2 of LETRS this year? 29
• How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school have completed EC LETRS? 0
• How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school are beginning EC LETRS this year? 2

 

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. At KES, we use the Open Court curriculum in grades K-2 and HMH in grades 3-5. Open Court’s green band fully supports oral language acquisition, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. HMH also supports these concepts, though there is less focus on phonological awareness and phonics and more focus on vocabulary and comprehension. During intervention, and at times whole group instruction, teachers also use Orton Gillingham strategies, such as red words. We utilize many assessments to assure reading instruction is intentional and differentiated. Grades 1-5 take the MAP assessment 3 times each year. This provides data on student mastery of skills and concepts in informational texts, literary texts, and vocabulary. Grades K-5 also take Easy CBM three times a year to monitor progress and growth in academic areas. Students preforming below grade level in grades K-3 also utilize Core Phonics and a phonological awareness assessment form Reading A to Z to assess phonological awareness and phonics abilities. Second and third below grade level also take a fluency and comprehension assessment from Reading A to Z to evaluate their reading skills. Intevetion is then provided at appropriate tiered levels. 

 

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.

Core Phonics is being used to assess word recognition for student below grade level in grades 1-3, and Kindergarten in the fourth quarter. We also use phonological awareness, fluency and comprehension assessments through Reading A to Z throughout the year to assess word recognition. The new report cards in Kindergarten and first grade are standards based, meaning that each indicator is individually assessed for mastery throughout the year. This is a great way to assess those word recognition skills and plan appropriate instruction. Once data has been collected, teachers use the district curriculums to align their instruction to the science of reading and the state standards.

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.  

KES uses MAP as one of our universal screeners for 1^st-5^th grades. After MAP is administered, further screening is done through Easy CBM Reading (K-5). Once this data is collected and analyzed, students performing below grade level will take A to Z phonological awareness, fluency and comprehension, and the CORE phonics assessment. Once data is collected students are placed into tiered RTI groups. Tier 1 and some 2 instruction occurs within the classroom. Some tier 2 and all tier 3 instruction occurs with an interventionist. Tiered instruction is based on needs of the students (word recognition or language comprehension), using a plethora of curriculums (Open Court, HMH, Units of Study, LLI, Orton-Gillingham, UFLI)

 

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.

Teachers use Parent Square, email, phone calls, and other systems to communicate regularly with parents regarding reading and writing. Teachers are also required to set up parent conferences to discuss reading and writing and student progress in those areas. In October, we have a family literacy night, in which families can participate in several reading and writing learning activities with their children. Open House is another way we communicate with parents regarding literacy in our school and how they can help at home. Many teachers share the parent friendly standards with parents at Open House, so they can begin to become familiar with the language and content of the standards. KES has first Friday breakfasts each month, each one focusing on a different group of folks, who come in with their children for breakfast. (Grandparents, Parents, etc.) This year, we will be doing a writing parent university we are calling the Leading Lions Writing Den. This will be three meetings throughout the year where we share writers notebooks and appropriate writing strategies with our parents. We are also going to implement an SC Ready Field day to help parents learn about SC Ready and the high expectations of the assessment. 

 

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. Tier one instruction occurs in the classroom. Teachers use Open Court, HMH Into Reading, and The Units of Study (and soon to come UFLI!) to provide this instruction. Based on the various assessments previously described, teachers and RTI specialists determine Tier 2 groups to be done within the regular classroom during intervention time, or some are pulled out for RTI. Teachers use Open Court intervention, Orton-Gillingham strategies, or LLI to support these learners in Tier 2.  Tier 3 students are served in pull out RTI session daily. Monthly KIT (Killian Intervention Team) meetings are held to keep groups current and flexible with the most current student and their individual 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-5^th grade.

Teachers in grades K-3 are currently enrolled in year 2 of Letrs training. Two of our upper grades teachers are taking Letrs this year as well. All grade levels attend monthly PD/PLCs with the reading coach revolving around these topics. The reading coach is also offering optional PD on HMH, Open Court, Units of Study and UFLI and how it can be used to aid student in their structured literacy journey. The reading coach and two other instructional coaches, model and co-teach for and with teachers on each grade level. Weekly planning is done within teams where coaches and administrators can guide and aid in assuring the science of reading and structured literacy are being implemented.  This year, weekly PLCs will be led by the different instructional coaches in the building. One monthly PLC is focused on literacy. 

 

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.