District pilots science-of-reading materials; staff propose wider K–2 rollout

Associate Superintendent Bill McDonald and program specialist Kylie Bray described a multi-year effort to address K–2 decoding and phonics gaps using science-of-reading principles. The district used one-time funding ($400,000 approved previously) to pilot supplementary programs; 942 students received explicit and systematic phonics instruction in pilot classrooms and the team reported net cohort growth of 4% (38 students) meeting growth targets compared with a 1% drop among students using the core curriculum alone.

Based on teacher-led piloting and classroom observations, the work group of 22 teachers recommended a combined approach: Heggerty routines (phonemic awareness, about 10 minutes daily) plus University of Florida Literacy Initiative (UFLI) Foundations (explicit phonics instruction of about 30 minutes). Reading Horizons Discovery will be used at three Title I sites because it includes additional assessments and professional-development supports.

Implementation timeline: district training began in April PD and additional training is scheduled in May and August to prepare teachers for fall implementation. Second grade rollout will be phased to avoid overloading teachers adopting a new science curriculum; second-grade training is planned for spring of the following year so instruction can be implemented the next school year.

Parents and community members spoke in support during public comment; one parent and local PFLAG representatives urged information-sharing and outreach for families, particularly for students with dyslexia. Staff emphasized that core materials (Benchmark Advance) will not be discarded; the supplemental programs are intended to supplant the phonics and phonemic-awareness strands the district found lacking in the core curriculum.

Next steps: additional professional development and classroom supports, materials procurement, and monitoring of student outcomes as the program expands beyond pilot sites.