March 21 2024- In 2020, the Aldine Independent School District in Texas transitioned to a knowledge-based reading curriculum, moving away from a balanced literacy approach. The shift aimed to address low reading proficiency levels among students, with only 30% of third graders reading at or above grade level in 2018-19. Implementing the Amplify CKLA curriculum led to structured thematic units using grade-level texts, resulting in improved reading skills and comprehension. Within two years, the percentage of third graders reading at or above grade level increased to 50%, with a decrease in those scoring “well below” benchmark from 48% to 36%, despite challenges posed by COVID-19 and the district’s demographic composition of predominantly economically disadvantaged and English language learner students.
Case Study: How One Texas School District Is Repurposing Staff Development Time to Embrace the Science of Reading
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