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A new report shows Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools saw improvement in its early literacy scores last school year — but not enough for the district to meet the targets set by its Board of Education.
The board reviewed the report at Tuesday's meeting. CMS set a goal to increase the percentage of K-through-2 students reaching benchmark on early literacy assessments from 67% as of 2023 to 91% by 2029.
The results from last year’s end-of-year test, known as DIBELS, show CMS improved for the second year in a row, with that percentage growing to 72%. But that was shy of the 75% target CMS needed to hit to stay on track to hit that ultimate goal.
Of the three grades, last year’s second graders had the lowest rate of students meeting their benchmark at 69%. Superintendent Crystal Hill said that’s historically been the case – as students get older, the subject matter gets harder, and struggling with those early skills makes it harder in later grades.
“All of those skills build upon each other, which is why it’s really critical for our students to be solid in the beginning, in kindergarten, and then build upon each of those as we increase," Hill said.
On the other hand, second graders have seen the most improvement over the last two years, growing by seven percentage points, and came closest to hitting their target.
Hill attributed that to those students getting the most time with teachers who have completed LETRS training, a state-mandated professional development program based on the science of reading.
The report also showed the district saw a widening gap between its highest-performing and its lowest-performing students, reflecting nationwide trends.
CMS officials will unveil end-of-year state test results on Sept. 3.
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