The Fayetteville-Manlius School District will begin piloting two literacy programs in some K-6 classrooms this fall in an effort to improve literacy curriculum, instruction, and assessment for all students.
The decision was made following a comprehensive literacy review conducted in partnership with OCM BOCES, and culminated with a presentation to the Board of Education. The review confirmed that while F-M is consistently ranked as one of the top districts in New York State in literacy scores, the goal to continuously improve aligned with a need to have a research-based ELA curriculum resource. By piloting these new programs, staff will be able to monitor student growth throughout the year and fully experience the resources each program offers.
“For years, teachers have been building their knowledge around the science of reading and making shifts to align curriculum and instruction to evidence-based practices,” explained K-6 ELA Curriculum Specialist Jaclyn Gangloff. “We are excited about what this upcoming school year will bring as teachers pilot two programs that streamline the instructional shifts and science of reading knowledge.”
The programs to be piloted are Benchmark Education and HMH Into Reading. These were chosen by a committee of classroom teachers, special education teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrators. The committee, created following the literacy review, looked at a variety of programs recommended by national curriculum review groups. Benchmark Education and HMH Into Reading are aligned with the New York State learning standards for English Language Arts and reflect the latest research within the science of reading, an approach to teaching reading that is based on decades of research and evidence.
“The goal is to continue to enhance student outcomes through evidence-based resources and teacher knowledge,” added Gangloff.
A diverse group of teachers representing all grade levels K-6 across all buildings will be piloting the programs this school year. Your student’s teacher and principal will share information if they are part of a pilot classroom.
Regardless of whether or not your student will be in a pilot classroom, the district and its teachers will continue to align curriculum and instruction to evidence-based practices, as they have been doing. All children will receive the highest quality education in literacy whether they are in a “pilot” classroom or not. Each student’s principal and teacher will continue to share information with parents and guardians as the school year progresses.