Read to Succeed

Narrative Responses 

The narrative responses will guide the school in creating one to three goals 
and developing action steps based on the overall assessment of progress toward implementing Read to Succeed. 

Section A: Five Pillars of Reading Instruction

Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all students in the school includes oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards. 

School Description of Instruction and Assessments Aligned to the Five Pillars of Reading Instruction

At Pleasant Knoll Elementary, we follow the district-provided assessment plan that is aligned with the Five Pillars of Reading Instruction. In grades K-1, students take the STAR Early Literacy Assessment three times a year. In Grades 2-5, students take the STAR Reading assessment three times a year, with 1st grade taking it during the Winter and Spring windows. This data helps identify students who may need further diagnostic assessments for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. 

In Grades 1-5, students complete the LETRS spelling screener three times a year. 

For Comprehension and Oral Reading Fluency, students in Grades 1 are administered the STAR CBM (Curriculum-Based Measure) three times a year. Students in Grades 2-5 are assessed three times a year using DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency passages. 

For phonological awareness, teachers in grades K-1 give formative assessments using UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute). 

For vocabulary, teachers create formative assessments based on the vocabulary introduced in the curriculum and needed for understanding of a text. 

Teachers will use the data from these assessments to guide instruction using the HMH Into Reading curriculum. During the Professional Learning Team (PLT) meetings, teachers will analyze this data to make instructional decisions for Tier 1 instruction and Tier 2 intervention. 

Section B: Foundational Literacy Skills

Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5th grade students are further aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy and foundational literacy skills. 

School Description of Alignment for PK-5th Grade Students 

Our school has 90 minutes dedicated to English Language Arts (ELA), which includes reading, writing, and foundational skills. We use HMH Into Reading curriculum, along with our state ELA standards, in grades K-5 for reading, vocabulary, and writing. For Foundational Literacy skills, our school utilizes Heggerty in K-1 for phonological awareness and UFLI for additional foundational skills in Grades K-2. The assessments from HMH, UFLI, and those listed in Section A align with the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills. They support the components of Scarborough’s Rope for Language Comprehension and Word Recognition. 

Section C: Intervention

Document how the school uses universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data to determine targeted pathways of intervention (word recognition or language comprehension) for students in PreK-5th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency 

School Description of Intervention for PK-5th Grade students Not on grade level

Our school uses a systematic approach to determine student intervention based on Universal Screeners and additional diagnostics as needed. All students take the STAR Early Literacy or STAR Reading assessments. Based on these results, we decide if further diagnostics are necessary for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Some of the assessments we use to inform these instructional decisions include Heggerty Bridge the Gap, Literacy Lessons, DIBELS, Core Reading Phonics, and STAR CBM. 

In addition to the Universal Screener, Kindergarten administers Core Phonics, and Grades 1-2 administer the LETRS Spelling Screener to all students three times a year, providing another tool to guide intervention decisions. Our school’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) team analyzes all this data to recommend appropriate Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. 

Section D: Supporting Literacy at Home 

Describe the system in place to help parents in your school understand how they can support the student as a reader and writer at home. 

School Description of System to support literacy in the home 

The school will keep parents informed about ways to support literacy at home through our school website and by providing information at parent-teacher conferences. Teachers will help parents in our school understand how they can support the student as a reader and writer at home by including strategies in weekly newsletters and providing parents in Grades K-2 with the district support document for reading and writing. 

Section E: Progress Monitoring

Document how the school provides for progress monitoring of reading achievement and growth at the school level with decisions about intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading. 

School Description of MTSS Progress Monitoring for PK-5th Grade Students

As part of our process for identifying students in the MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) framework, we also implement consistent progress monitoring for students in Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. 

Tier 1 and Tier 2: Teachers use a combination of tools such as STAR, HMH curriculum assessments, ULFI progress monitoring, and other formative and summative assessments to monitor progression of grade appropriate reading skills, supporting overall proficiency. 

Tier 3: Literacy interventionists have additional tools for progress monitoring, including Literacy Lessons, DIBELS, Heggerty’s Bridge the Gap, and STAR. 

Throughout the year, teams meet regularly during Professional Learning Team (PLT) meetings and MTSS team meetings to analyze data and make instructional decisions for all students. 

Section F : Teacher Training

Explain how the school will provide teacher training based in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills to support reading achievement for all students. 

School Description of PLO Opportunities 

Currently, all required teachers determined by the state are in year 2 of LETRS training. This includes K-3 teachers, administrators, interventionists, the literacy coach, and Special Education teachers. In addition, the 4th-grade teachers and one English as a Second Language teacher started year 1 of LETRS. 

As a literacy coach, I lead Professional Learning Team (PLT) meetings once a week with all grade levels, focusing on instruction, data analysis, and alignment with the science of reading. 

Section G: Analysis of Data - Strengths

Each grade level participates in Professional Learning Team (PTL) meetings to discuss data, talk about ways to maximize student learning, and share strategies for reading and writing. 

All required teachers determined by the state are completing LETRS training. All fourth-grade teachers and one English as a Second Language teacher started LETRS this school year. 

Analyzing data from STAR, SC Ready, and Screening data is a strenght at our school. 

Section G: Analysis of Data - Possibilities of Growth

Focus on explicit instruction during the ELA block. 
Increase vocabulary instruction in all grades to support comprehension. 

School-Level LETRS Implementation 
How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS? *31 
How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS? * 0 
How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year? * 9 
How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 2 of LETRS this year? * 31 
How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school have completed EC LETRS? * 0 
How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school are beginning EC LETRS this year? *0 

Section H: 

2024-25 Previous School SMART Goals and Progress Toward those Goals 

Please provide your previous school goals from last school year and the progress your school has made towards these goals. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to determine progress toward the goal (s). As a reminder, all schools serving third grade were required to use Goal #1 (below) 

Previous Goal #1 * 
Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring DNM level in the spring of 2024 as determined by SCREADY, from 8.9% to 8% in the spring of 2025. 

Progress of Goal #1 * 
We did meet this goal. Students who were DNM for 3rd Grade Spring 2025 on SC Reading were 2.3% 

Previous Goal #2 * 
85% of kindergarten and first-grade students will show proficiency on STAR Early Literacy as measured by the end of the school year benchmark. This will be an increase from 77.4% proficiency in the 2023-2024 school year. 

Progress of Goal #2 *
We did not meet this goal. 78.54% of students in K and 1 showed proficiency in Spring 2025 on STAR Early Literacy as measured by the end-of-school-year benchmark. 

Section I: 

2025-26 School SMART Goals and Action Steps Based on Analysis of Data 

All schools serving students in third grade MUST respond to the third grade reading proficiency goal. Note the change in language for the 3rd grade goal to align with the 2030 vision of 75% of students at or above grade level. Schools that do not serve third grade students may choose a different goal. Goals should be academically measurable. All goals should align with academic growth or achievement. Schools must provide a minimum of two goals. 

Schools are strongly encouraged to incorporate goals from the school renewal plan. Utilize a triangulation of appropriate and available data (i.e. SC READY, screeners, MTSS progress monitoring, benchmark assessments, and observational data) to set reasonable goal(s) for the current school year. 

Current Goal #1 (3rd Grade Reading Proficiency Goal Required) 

• Third Grade Goal: Increase the percentage of third graders scoring Meets and Exceeds in the spring of 2025 as determined by SC READY ELA from __% to __% in the spring of 2026. 
• Third Grade Goal: Increase the percentage of third graders scoring Meets and Exceeds in the spring of 2025 as determined by SC READY ELA from _82.9_% to _85_% in the spring of 2026. 

Actions Steps for Goal #1 

• Teachers will continue to meet weekly during our Professional Learning Team (PLT) meetings to discuss data, talk about ways to maximize student learning, and share strategies for reading and writing instruction. 
• Teachers will use HMH Into Reading to provide explicit instruction in ELA. 
• Teachers will increase the time spent on explicit vocabulary instruction. 
• Teachers will continue to administer common formative and summative assessments to determine Tier 2 students who need additional instruction on grade-level content. 
• Teachers in Grades K-3 will continue professional development with LETRS and apply what they learning during instruction. 

Current Goal #2

• By the Spring 2026 benchmark, 76% of kindergarten and first-grade students will score at or above proficiency on the STAR Early Literacy assessment. This reflects an increase from 72.35% of students who scored at or above proficiency on the Fall 2025 benchmark. 

Action Steps for Goal #2 

• Teachers will continue implementation of explicit instruction in the foundations of literacy (including phonics, phonemic awareness, concepts of print, and fluency). 
• Teachers will continue professional development with LETRS and apply this learning to classroom instruction. 
• Teachers will continue analyzing data centered around the foundations of literacy at the school and district level 
• Teachers will continue to meet weekly during our Professional Learning Team (PLT) meetings to discuss data, talk about ways to maximize student learning, and share strategies centered around the foundations of literacy.