During the April Alvin ISD Board Meeting, Dr. Shandar Hobbs, the Executive Director of Curriculum, delivered an update on the current state of literacy within the district. Hobbs emphasized the district’s commitment to a Comprehensive Literacy Plan as the foundation of their educational strategy.
In 2018, an examination of data revealed that Alvin ISD was not progressing as desired in literacy. Responding to this challenge, the curriculum department initiated the development of a Comprehensive Literacy Plan with key literacy stakeholders from the district. This plan was created to raise reading and writing proficiency across the district, with all educational initiatives filtering through its guiding principles. “With the support of the Comprehensive Literacy Plan, our teachers are able to work diligently each day to give our students the literacy foundation needed for them to be successful learners. Our students wouldn’t be making the level of progress that they are without us having the best teachers who care deeply about their progress,” shares Dr. Jennifer Valdez, Deputy Superintendent of Academics.
Central to the plan is the recognition of the importance of vocabulary in growing proficient readers and writers. Understanding the inequities in students’ vocabularies based on various circumstances such as demographics, Alvin ISD resolved to ensure equitable access to literacy practices for all students and educators.
The ever changing educational standards, represented by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the STAAR Test, made it necessary to adapt literacy instruction in our district. The district launched the “Read, Write, Repeat” initiative, creating the process essential for literacy development.
A key component of Alvin ISD’s literacy plan is the monitoring of district data, not solely based on standardized testing but also incorporating short-interval assessments. This approach enables timely interventions and adjustments. Valdez reiterates the use of data saying, “we have high expectations for our students and use data consistently throughout the school year to help each student succeed.”
Dr. Hobbs presented encouraging data from the third nine weeks, showing positive strides in reducing the number of students reading below grade level across multiple grades. This progress is thanks to the district’s ability to adjust curriculum due to the presence of instructional coaches on each campus and dedicated curriculum days.
Acknowledging the vital role of the school board in supporting literacy initiatives, Dr. Hobbs highlighted ongoing investments in classroom libraries and instructional coaching, which has been crucial in creating a culture of literacy within the district.
Alvin ISD also actively engages parents in supporting their children’s literacy journey through webinars, campus literacy nights, and summer reading programs. By empowering parents with resources and strategies, the district promotes a collaborative approach to literacy development.
Transitioning to secondary education, Dr. Glen Russell, ELA curriculum coordinator, presented data indicating that Alvin ISD students continue to outperform state averages across junior high and high school grade levels.
Russell emphasized our literacy standards, which remain consistent from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“Some things that make teaching literacy different from other subjects is that our standards don’t change from year to year. We are asking students to do the exact same thing from kindergarten through 12th grade, just at different levels of complexity over time,” Russell stated.
This is exemplified in the district’s literacy framework, based on the principles outlined in the book “180 Days” by Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle.
As Alvin ISD unveils its Summer Reading program, “Read, Write, Repeat,” the district maintains its commitment to growing lifelong readers and writers. More information about these programs will be shared in the coming weeks.
