Our school is assisting all students in developing World Class Skills and Life and Career Characteristics of the Profile of the Graduate by providing a comprehensive and challenging academic pathway in the area of Reading.
However, due to COVID19, the South Carolina SCREADY Tests were suspended. For the 2020-2021 school term, our instruction will be driven by the 2019 teats results along with student assessments through Fountas and Pinnell and IXL.
In 2018, our SCREADY scores fell in the ‘Below Average’ category but in 2019, our scores increased to the “Good” category. Although there was improvement, as we drilled down into data results, we found that Text Dependent Analysis continues to be a concern with reading instruction. Our reading curriculum strategies are as follows:
- Guided Reading is used in the classroom on a daily basis to allow teachers to work with students in individual/small group settings. Guided Reading affords teachers that 'one on one' setting with students to assess reading abilities and the 'grow' students through use of reading strategy skills and high interest leveled books that the student can fluently read to help bolster a love for reading.
- We measure student growth using the Fountas and Pinnell assessment tool. Shared reading and 'Read Alouds are a daily essential in which Fountas and Pinnell questioning is used to get students to "think deeper". This style of questioning lends itself to a better thought process when completing a 'Text Dependent Analysis'. We have see an improvement in TDA's based on the state rubric and we continue to strive to continue that trend.
- We incorporate SRA Reading program in grades K-2 as a phonemic part of Guided Reading; students were tested and placed in a group with students of similar reading ability in first and second grades as a component of RTI. Students are allowed to move to higher groups as they progress. The assessment component of our plan uses DRA2 data to monitor the reading progress of students who are having difficulty all during the year. DRA2 is also used for benchmark testing three times during the year to see if students are progressing in line with national norms. The district plan calls for a district benchmark test to be given to students after each quarter to see how they are progressing with district and state standards. All of this information will provide a better idea of how students are performing and how best to meet their needs.
- LLI is also used as an intervention for identified students at various levels and are used daily for RtI. Student grouping are fluid and therefore change as a student progresses in the program to maximize his/her learning potential and increase their proficiency on MAP and SCREADY.
- We were also encouraged by this year's MAP scores. MAP testing is administered once in the fall, once in the winter, and again in the spring. MAP is a way of gauging academic growth and projecting where students will perform on the SCREADY and PASS tests. All students at JCCE showed growth according to their MAP scores. Translating the scores into their Aspire equivalents allows us to compare the past scores from PASS to how they performed this year on MAP.
- All the data gathered identifies student's individual strengths and weaknesses and allows teachers to develop a 'Student Learning Objective' (SLO) for growth for that particular student. SLO's have really enhanced an academic growth process due to the individualized attention students get throughout the week. SLO's have given teachers the insight into a student's academic needs and enables teachers to cater a plan for students to progress throughout the year in their academics.
- Accelerated Reader is a key component to our reading instruction. A/R is used as a springboard to encourage reading and comprehension. Students who maintain a comprehension average of above 88% can gain A/R points throughout the year and are rewarded for those gains. Accelerated Reader has proven to be an effective tool to encourage student to build stamina for sustained silent reading.
JCCE also continues the use of our Data Room in the school. Each student in the school is tracked based on their MAP, IXL data and DRA2 results and other data sources to help identify students who are weak in certain areas. The discipline component of our plan calls for targeting the repeat offenders, students who are in the yellow and red zones, in an effort to continue to reduce the number of office referrals. Character Education is a key component in developing attributes of good character and will continue to be an important part of John C. Calhoun Elementary School's curriculum."
