FORT MYERS, Fla. — On Wednesday, the School District of Lee County is continuing its focus to improve students reading scores.
This comes after the pandemic left students across the state testing lower than average on the Florida Standards Assessment, Grade 3 Language Arts (ELA).
COUNTIES:
CHARLOTTE: 2019-69% 2021-62% Dropped-7%
COLLIER: 2019- 61% 2021-60% Dropped-1%
DESOTO: 2019- 34% 2021- 32% Dropped-2%
HENDRY: 2019- 47% 2021-37% Dropped -10%
GLADES: 2019- 62% 2021-38% Dropped-24%
LEE- 2019-58% 2021-50% Dropped-8%
School District of Lee County says its younger students in Kindergarten and 1st Grade last year were the most impacted, along with students in 3rd grade scoring lower than average when it comes to reading.
Over the summer- Rob Spicker, Spokesman, SDLC says the school district had 1,600 3rd grade students participate in summer school.
The first day of school is set for August 10, the district says it plans to continue providing extra help for students who need it most.
“All principals have been tasked this summer with identifying the students who need intervention and extra support and developing a plan to provide it. So that when those students walk in their school doors on August 10 there is going to be a plan to help them improve and meet their fullest potential,” said Spicker.
At the elementary level, Spicker says that plan includes having a literacy coach for certain grade levels.
“Every elementary school is going to have a literacy coach for Kindergartners, 1st graders, and 2nd graders. Their focus will be on preparing them for the 3rd grade, ELA test,” he said.
He says last year, the pandemic forced many of their teachers to work in different departments and this year they will finally be able to get back to working in the position they were hired for.
Spicker told Fox 4 with the return of in-person learning students and teachers can once again meet in small groups and really give that one-on-one attention that was difficult to provide last year.
“We have those coaches, but last year those coaches were diverted. This year, those coaches will be coaches. And they can meet one on one with students or in small groups with students. And these are things that weren’t always possible last year. So getting the schoolhouse back to a normal function will really benefit our students,” said Spicker.
There is still time to enroll your student in Lee Virtual which is their county-wide online learning program.
The deadline to register your student is Thursday, 7/15.
