Winchester schools awarded state high-dosage early literacy tutoring grant

Winchester Public Schools received notice from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that the district was awarded a high-dosage early literacy tutoring grant, district leaders said at the Jan. 22 School Committee meeting.

Assistant Superintendent Kirby, who provided the initial overview, said the program targets students identified by DIBELS as scoring in the red or yellow ranges and that the district expects to prioritize first graders. "These will be 1 to 1 sessions or a very small group," she said, adding sessions would run multiple times per week for about 15 minutes and could continue for up to 10 weeks. Kirby said families will be notified and given an opt-out option.

Superintendent Hackett told the committee the award arrived after the agenda posted and that the district is still confirming parameters. He said the state has provided a vetted vendor in other districts and described the award as a resource provided to the district rather than a direct district contract: "There is no action tonight; we are recipients of the service and the state is contracting with the vendor," he said.

Committee members asked whether the grant provides cash that would fund new district staff or whether the state-selected vendor will supply services directly. Kirby said the current understanding is that the state allocated a number of "seats" and hours per school and assigned an approved vendor; the district will confirm whether services will be delivered only to Winchester students and whether the vendor's curriculum will align to existing tier 2 or IEP services. Staff emphasized the program is intended to supplement, not supplant, existing interventions.

District leaders said they will confirm implementation details, including whether virtual sessions will require adult supervision in schools, how contractors would coordinate with classroom teachers, and which students will be eligible. Staff committed to returning to the committee with fuller information once the district accepts the grant and receives final terms from DESE.

The committee did not take a formal vote on acceptance at the Jan. 22 meeting because no district action was required to receive the service; members asked staff to distribute details to families and educators when available.