After the Michigan legislature passed its now-repealed “Read by Grade 3” law in 2016, Wyandotte Public Schools (WPS), which serves around 4,500 students across 10 schools, recognized a crucial need for improved literacy instruction. WPS adopted a Structured Literacy curriculum in 2017, but it soon became clear that many teachers lacked the training necessary to implement it fully. In response, administrators went in search of professional development that would bring consistency to literacy instruction throughout the district. What they found was IMSE’s Comprehensive Orton-Gillingham Plus course.
In the years after, WPS equipped more than 100 of its teachers with IMSE’s Structured Literacy approach based on the science of reading. By combining IMSE courses with embedded literacy coaches, the district provided several layers of support to teachers and allowed students to quickly build literacy skills. The results, especially in schools with high percentages of at-risk students, are remarkable. At Jefferson Elementary School, for example, the percent of proficient kindergarten readers surged from 55% to 82.9%. Overall, Kindergarten students have seen a 13.8% increase in reading proficiency from 2023 to 2024.
WPS is now noticing improvements in students’ math performance as well, which administrators attribute in part to increased confidence in reading. Throughout the district, on last year’s NWEA MAP Growth math assessments, there was a dramatic 27.8% increase in proficiency among kindergarteners.
It’s clear that WPS’s new approach is creating lasting change, and these outcomes highlight the wisdom of the district’s tiered literacy program. Unsurprisingly, administrators say they plan to train 100% of WPS teachers through IMSE in the years ahead.
“You cannot be proficient on any standardized assessment for math without being able to read…So we are seeing the literacy skills translate into other content areas.”
Jessica Shipman
Director of Curriculum Instruction and Assessment
Wyandotte Public Schools
Want to learn more about Wyandotte Public Schools’ literacy journey?
Read the full case study and find out how IMSE’s approach can help your district achieve similar success.
Like what you read?