Hot Topic: Literacy

There has been a lot of discussion around the literacy curriculum in our schools in recent weeks, and I have been receiving questions from many of you on the topic. I hope the information below answers some of your questions, and clarifies my perspective on how best to implement a new literacy curriculum and improve outcomes for our K-5 students.

Is it true that a third of Needham third graders can’t read?

Below is a graph of MCAS ELA data since 2017 relative to the state-wide average. These scores show that in 2024, 65% of third graders are meeting or exceeding expectations based on state standards. A student who is only partially meeting expectations is not necessarily a non-reader.

Source: https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/statereport/mcas.aspx

Do we need a new curriculum right away to improve reading in the schools?

While I strongly support the selection of a new reading curriculum, I do not believe it is the element of the reading program that will make the largest difference in improving our scores. The curriculum does not teach reading, teachers do. Other critical elements to improving scores could include better assessment, quicker identification of struggling readers, more effective and efficient interventions put into place more rapidly, and an overall commitment to the idea that every child can become a successful reader, no matter their background, disability, income level, level of family support, etc.

Does Needham use Units of Study, the reading program that was criticized in the "Sold a Story" podcast, as its reading curriculum?

Units of Study 1st/2nd editions, which were rolled out in 2016 in Needham, introduced “3-cueing” as an instructional practice. This practice has been found to interrupt the necessary focus on phonics and decoding, critical elements of learning to read, and it was this move away from phonics and toward practices like 3-cueing that were the focus of Sold a Story. Needham replaced the original Units of Study curriculum and its ineffective “3-cueing” practices when it moved to the Units of Study 3rd edition for our K-2 students as part of the literacy pilot. This 3rd edition has eliminated 3-cueing and has been revised in response to criticism in many other ways. In addition, Needham has and will continue to have a robust phonics program being taught in our classrooms (Fundations). We have also added explicit phonemic awareness instruction via Heggarty during 2021-22.

Does the School Committee get to choose the new literacy curriculum?

There is an explicit division between the duties of school administration and school committees. School committees do NOT choose curriculum. The curriculum choice is developed by the schools and brought to the school committee as a recommendation. The School Committee DOES affirm (or not) the recommendations of the school administration and will also vote on the budget dollars that facilitate the implementation of that recommendation.

Where can I find out more about Needham’s Literacy Pilot?