Evidence-based Interventions/Strategies

Mid-Year Reflection

During the Fall semester, the school encountered several implementation challenges that may have affected fifth-grade science performance. A newly adopted science curriculum required teachers to adjust to new instructional materials, pacing expectations, and assessment alignment without comprehensive upfront training, creating an early learning curve in instructional delivery. Additionally, Beginning-of-Year (BOY) data revealed that only 8% of 5th graders were proficient across 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade standards, highlighting unfinished learning and foundational gaps. There were also initial concerns regarding instructional consistency, pacing, and fidelity across classrooms as teachers navigated the new curriculum.

In response, the school implemented several strategic adjustments. The master schedule was redesigned to create block scheduling, ensuring that the strongest science teachers were assigned to teach the dedicated fifth-grade science block, maximizing instructional expertise and consistency. In-house professional development was provided to all fifth-grade science teachers, along with weekly check-ins to unpack standards,, clarify expectations, and address instructional challenges. To ensure science was taught with fidelity, microassessments were monitored to confirm that teachers maintained pacing and aligned instruction to priority standards. Additionally, targeted intervention structures were implemented: bubble students identified through MOY data were invited to attend a twice-weekly, 30-minute Progress Learning Morning Camp; the Media Specials teacher began a structured spiral review focusing on the lowest-performing fourth-grade standards; and Friday classroom small-group blocks were designed to provide intentional remediation and enrichment. These systemic adjustments contributed to measurable growth, with proficiency increasing from 8% at BOY to 41% at MOY—a 33 percentage point gain—and a 24 percentage point increase compared to last year’s MOY proficiency rate of 17%. When including students within 10 percentage points of proficiency, the projected proficiency rate rises to 66%, positioning the grade level strongly toward the 71% SSA goal.

Evidence-based Interventions/Strategies

Mid-Year Reflection

Eagle Shuffle Daily Intervention Block: UFLI, Magnetic Reading, Benchmark Advance Comprehension Intervention, Magnetic Reading

Strengths:
Provides protected daily intervention time for all students in grades 2–5. Flexible regrouping allows instruction to respond directly to PM2 data. Weekly progress monitoring ensures responsiveness and accountability.

Weaknesses:
Limited time may limit the depth of remediation. Effectiveness depends on precise grouping and consistent instructional delivery.
Transition from UFLI to Comprehension Groups:
Strengths:
Ensures students move from foundational decoding to higher-order comprehension skills aligned to FAST expectations. Creation of new comprehension groups increased access to targeted skill instruction.

Weaknesses:
Some students may still require continued fluency support alongside comprehension instruction. Accurate placement decisions require strong diagnostic analysis.
 

iReady Weekly Monitoring & Personalized Learning Paths

Strengths:
Provides individualized skill practice aligned to student diagnostic results. Clear expectations (40–45 minutes weekly; 70–100% lesson pass rate) increase accountability and time on task.

Weaknesses:
Independent practice alone may not be sufficient for lowest quartile students without direct teacher-led reinforcement of targeted skills.
 

SWD Data Dive & Tightened ESE Interventions

Strengths:
Collaborative review with ESE providers, district support, and administration strengthened alignment between IEP goals, Tier 2/Tier 3 supports, and core instruction. Monthly PMP meetings increased oversight.

Weaknesses:
Requires sustained monitoring and structured follow-up to ensure instructional adjustments consistently occur.

The school has implemented multiple targeted actions to strengthen learning gains, particularly for lowest quartile and SWD students, while maintaining a strong instructional core.

A comprehensive SWD data dive was conducted with all ESE providers, district ESE support staff, and administration. FAST, iReady, Benchmark Advance, and classroom data were analyzed to identify subgroup gaps and refine intervention plans. As a result, ESE interventions were tightened to ensure alignment between IEP goals, Tier 2/Tier 3 supports, and grade-level expectations.

Students were reshuffled into new intervention groups based on PM2 data, and the Eagle Shuffle Daily Intervention Block was adjusted to ensure skill-specific grouping. Administration conducted a second data dive with teachers to further disaggregate subgroup performance and monitor progress trends.

Monthly PMP meetings were established to review student growth, document the impact of interventions, and adjust supports as needed. Additionally, student progress in Benchmark Advance was closely monitored, and targeted, standards-based instruction was implemented using iReady scaffolded lessons and Reading Mastery to address identified gaps in comprehension and foundational skills.

Throughout these efforts, the school has maintained fidelity to the core curriculum's scope and sequence to ensure strong Tier 1 instruction remains intact, while strategically layering Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports to accelerate growth for students requiring additional intervention. This balanced approach ensures students receive grade-level instruction alongside differentiated and intensive supports aligned to their specific needs.

Evidence-based Interventions/Strategies

Mid-Year Reflection

Science of Reading Professional Development (Modules 5 & 6 and Prior Coursework)
Strengths: Schoolwide completion of Science of Reading modules strengthened Tier 1 literacy practices and increased instructional consistency across grade levels. Teachers deepened their understanding of vocabulary development, the integration of foundational skills, and the instruction of comprehension strategies. Offering Saturday and evening sessions ensured more participation. Weaknesses: Professional learning requires ongoing reinforcement to ensure consistent classroom implementation and sustained impact on student proficiency outcomes.
Eagle Shuffle Daily Intervention Block: UFLI, Magnetic Reading, Benchmark Advance Comprehension Intervention, Reading for Phonics
Strengths: Provides protected daily time for targeted intervention across grades 2–5. Flexible regrouping based on PM2 data allows instruction to respond quickly to students who are bubbles and those just below Level 3. Supports aligning remediation with specific FAST standards. Weaknesses: The limited duration of the intervention block may restrict depth of reteaching for students with multiple skill gaps. Success depends on precise grouping and consistent delivery.
Administrative Data Conferences
Strengths: Individual teacher data meetings increase ownership and accountability for proficiency outcomes. These conferences strengthen alignment between Tier 1 instruction, remediation, and enrichment. The scheduled third meeting prior to PM3 reinforces continuous progress monitoring. Weaknesses: Sustained improvement depends on consistent implementation of action steps discussed during data meetings.
iReady Personalized Learning Path Monitoring
Strengths: Offers personalized practice based on diagnostic data. Clear expectations for weekly time on task (40–45 minutes) and lesson pass rates (70–100%) encourage accountability and focused skill growth. Weaknesses: Independent digital practice needs to be combined with direct instruction and application exercises to improve constructed-response performance. Students are not always meeting their minutes or pass rate goals. 
Walkthrough Monitoring and Instructional Rounds (IRs)
Strengths: Regular walkthroughs conducted by administration, the reading coach, team leaders, and district staff through Instructional Rounds (IRs) provide ongoing monitoring of Science of Reading implementation, Tier 1 rigor, and intervention alignment. Timely feedback strengthens coaching conversations and promotes instructional consistency across classrooms.
Weaknesses: Continued refinement is necessary to ensure that feedback leads to measurable improvements in student outcomes, particularly for bubble and lowest-performing subgroups.

The school has implemented a vertically aligned K–5 literacy plan to strengthen Tier 1 instruction and accelerate proficiency growth across all grade levels. Year-over-year FAST PM2 data was analyzed at each grade level to identify trends, bubble students, and subgroup needs. Administration conducted two individual data conferences with teachers (with a third scheduled prior to PM3) to review Tier 1 instruction, remediation, enrichment, and acceleration plans aligned to proficiency targets.

K–5 instructional staff participated in Science of Reading professional development, including Modules 5 and 6, as well as prior coursework. Training was offered on Saturday, with evening sessions to ensure accessibility. This strengthened foundational literacy instruction in K–2 and comprehension, vocabulary, and written response rigor in grades 3–5, improving vertical alignment across the school.

The Daily Intervention Block was implemented in grades 2–5, and intervention groupings were reshuffled based on PM2 data to ensure skill-specific alignment. In K–2, foundational skill intervention groups were narrowed to target deficits in phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, and vocabulary. In grades 3–5, bubble students were prioritized for instruction in comprehension, vocabulary, and text evidence aligned with FAST expectations.

iReady progress-monitoring expectations were reinforced across K–5, requiring 40–45 minutes of weekly reading practice and 70–100% lesson pass rates to support individualized skill development. To increase student motivation and engagement, structured iReady challenges were created, including ice cream celebrations and partnerships with community businesses to provide incentives such as free kids’ meal certificates. These incentives promoted increased time on task and consistent lesson completion.

Benchmark Advance scope and sequence fidelity is monitored schoolwide to ensure strong Tier 1 instruction remains intact while layering Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports. Additionally, ongoing walkthroughs conducted by administration, the reading coach, team leaders, and district staff through Instructional Rounds provide timely feedback aligned to Science of Reading practices, foundational skill delivery, comprehension rigor, and intervention fidelity. Collectively, these actions demonstrate a comprehensive K–5 literacy system focused on strengthening the instructional core, increasing the precision of interventions, maintaining high expectations, and accelerating students' progress toward Level 3 proficiency or higher by PM3.