School district reading goal sets bar high

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District chief school administrator Bob Doyle has set a high benchmark for the district to reach: all third graders reading at grade level by 2006.

While Doyle said that some have questioned the attainability of such a goal, he is confident that all students - including students with disabilities and Limited English Proficiency students - can reach this goal.

"I've had some people say it's impossible, but I think we should set high goals for ourselves," Doyle said. "I think we have the resources in this community to do this."

Doyle and other district employees are now brainstorming ways to reach the goal, and a district-wide reading specialist will be hired to create reading proficiency plans. The plan will not be "one-size-fits-all" or create different "tracks", but will utilize all techniques known to help students read, Doyle said.

"What we really have to do is focus on effective instruction in the classroom, we know what works," Doyle said. "It's not reinventing the wheel or a silver bullet, we just need to use every reading tool we have, because every child learns differently."

Some of Doyle's ideas so far include intervention for children with difficulty reading as early as kindergarten, preschool reading opportunities to prepare future students, smaller class sizes and appropriate staff development to allow for individualized differentiated instruction practices. Doyle wants third graders to read at grade level not only to ensure they will be good readers, but also because in fourth grade the lessons become integrated.

"It's really important for third graders to read," Doyle said. "Once they get into fourth [grade], everything becomes more lateral, student's who have trouble reading will have trouble in other areas because they can't keep up."

Parents will need to work with their children in order for this goal to be reached.

"Children that see mom and dad enjoying reading will want to read," Doyle said.

It's important to not only focus on reading, but also oral communication, which Doyle said helps students learn to read.

"Even just talking, questioning children and then listening helps," Doyle said. "Get them away from the TV and the computer, which requires no oral language interaction."

Currently, schools that have Title One status get extra funding to help students learn, Doyle said he will figure out a way for each school to be able to fund some type of extra programs to ensure every child is reading at grade level.

"This is far more important than budget cuts and negotiations," Doyle said.