Board hears instruction update: summer programs, iRead retesting and WIDA results

District instructional leaders updated the board on summer programs, iRead retesting for early-literacy students, and WIDA access assessment outcomes for multilingual learners.

Presenter (Speaker 5) recapped the ambassador program's first year and said recruitment for the next cohort has begun. Speaker 5 also outlined summer offerings with a focus on elementary reading interventions and continued credit-recovery options for high-school students.

On student assessment, Speaker 7 said the summer iRead testing window opened to allow third-grade students and at-risk second-graders additional opportunities to retake the exam, noting the goal is to get as many students as possible to pass before the next school year.

Presenter (Speaker 10) gave an overview of WIDA access results: 149 multilingual learners completed the assessment; over 50% scored in proficiency levels 1–3 (the lower bands), while students performed higher in listening and comprehension than in speaking and writing. Speaker 10 also listed students' most commonly spoken home languages: approximately 45% Spanish, 25% Haitian Creole, about 4% Punjabi, 3% Vietnamese, 3% Mandarin, and 3% Portuguese.

Staff said WIDA exit criteria include automatic exit at levels 5 and 6 and that alternative criteria can allow exit at level 4 with building-team support. Staff said three teachers currently serve multilingual students across eight buildings and that the district continues to grow students toward English proficiency.