Ten schools selected as literacy pilot sites to better identify, help struggling readers
October 12, 2010
COLUMBIA,SC – October 12, 2010 – State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex todaynamed 10 elementary schools to a pilot project aimed at using studentperformance data more effectively in helping younger children who arestruggling with reading.
Rex said state-funded reading specialists will work with the 10“Literacy Academy” pilot sites to employ more effective ways ofidentifying struggling readers, intervening more quickly to providetargeted instruction, and more closely monitoring student progress todetermine how well interventions are working.
“This is basically about developing a tighter focus, a quickerresponse and better follow-through,” Rex said. “We want to identifystruggling readers earlier, provide the additional resources and timeneeded to address their needs, and then accelerate their learning.”
The schools are McLees Elementary, Nevitt Forest Community School ofInnovation and Varennes Academy of Communication and Technology(Anderson 5); Gallman Elementary, Pomaria Elementary andProsperity-Rikard Elementary (Newberry); Blue Ridge Elementary(Oconee); Greeleyville Elementary, Hemingway Elementary and St. MarkElementary (Williamsburg).
The 10 elementary schools were selected based on applications they submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education.
Once struggling readers are identified by analyzing test scores andclassroom teacher observations, extra help could be provided beforeschool, during school or after school. Each school’s financial andstaff resources will be evaluated, as will each school’s currentstrategies for intervention, instruction and follow-through monitoring.
The Literacy Academy project is one of several pilots which beganthis year, designed as part of a comprehensive plan for improvingstudent achievement in South Carolina.
