Southwest Allen County Schools (SACS) is an impressive district in Allen County, Indiana. The district encompasses ten schools, catering to more than 7,800 students. The district includes six elementary schools for grades K-5, two middle schools for grades 6-8, a high school, and a 6-12 virtual school. Each of these individual buildings makes up one institution committed to meeting the diverse learning needs of different age groups, capabilities, and backgrounds. SACS is renowned for its top-tier programs, exceptional educators, nurturing learning environments, and robust community and parental support. 

In 2016, SACS embarked on a partnership with IMSE, initially targeting tier 2 students with dyslexic tendencies. This collaboration aimed to provide specialized support tailored to these students’ needs. However, the initiative soon revealed a broader narrative within the district. 

Dr. Lynn Simmers, the SACS’ Assistant Superintendent and grants coordinator, observed that many students were struggling to read, and this shift was in part a result of the time students lost in the classroom during the pandemic. Without the resources, opportunities, and benefits of a preschool experience, many kids were entering kindergarten and 1st grade without the pre-literacy skills that serve as a foundation for learning how to read. The COVID-19 learning loss led to an inevitable decline in the historically high literacy scores that had previously characterized the district. 

Once it was identified that students were falling behind in their ability to read, teachers and leaders in the SACS district enrolled in IMSE’s 30-hour comprehensive literacy training. Following the completion of the course, school leaders left with a better understanding of how students learn to read and how they can best support teachers. The district’s literacy specialist then revisited the district’s curriculum to intentionally map how IMSE’s proven literacy programs would be applied to their framework. Not only did SACS revamp its curriculum, but teachers left with a better understanding of how they can teach every student at every level how to read. 

Dr. Simmers Quote“I saw how students were responding to the Orton-Gillingham strategies, and it made me realize that these strategies would benefit all of our students, not just those in tier 2,” Dr. Simmers states. From there, she spearheaded the initiative to bolster literacy levels district-wide. 

SACS expanded these methodologies across all levels, embracing explicit, intentional instruction rooted in the five components of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. To date, 170 trainings have been completed across SACS in K-2, special education, title 1, and 3-5 teachers. Each has gone through the 30-hour training from IMSE to support core instruction and intervention and create continuity across all grade levels and schools throughout the district. Additionally, SACS’ literacy coaches have undergone specialized IMSE Morphology+ training, enriching their toolkit to support diverse learners effectively. 

Simultaneously, under new state legislation, the Indiana Department of Education is requiring every district to implement a science of reading (SoR) curriculum or supplemental instruction by the 2024-2025 school year, and teacher prep programs in the state must use SoR curriculum by 2024. Ever ahead of the curve, SACS’ previous strategic implementation of IMSE’s proven, easy-to-apply Structured Literacy program based on the science of reading has only further elevated the district’s educational excellence in improving reading outcomes. In 2023, 88.5% of the district’s third grade students showed proficiency on the IREAD assessment.  

Through their unwavering commitment to literacy, SACS continues to illuminate a path toward educational excellence, setting benchmarks for comprehensive, student-centric literacy programs. With these goals in mind, SACS’ journey is just beginning. Centered around enhancing IREAD-3 scores and achieving 90% proficiency among third graders by spring 2024, SACS’ ambitions prove a testament to their dedication to student achievement and growth. SACS’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of structured literacy, weaving an instructional framework that caters to diverse needs, bridging gaps, and empowering its educators to nurture proficient readers and writers. 

By carefully planning, rigorously implementing, and continuously assessing its literacy programs and student reading scores, SACS has moved ahead of state mandates and become a model for other schools in the state to follow. 

 

 

Like what you read?