Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
Needs Based District Proposal
Anna Vos
Cardinal Stritch University
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
Cardinal Stritch University Reading/Language Arts 516
Literacy Needs Assessment Profile for __Ixonia Elementary School/ OASD________________________
Strengths of literacy program:
● FORWARD test results from 2017-2018 shows an overall score of 86.1 (Significantly Exceeds Expectations).
● 46.3% of students are proficient or advanced in reading
● Title 1 Reading Teacher and other interventionists give instruction in reading Monday through Thursday, which allows
for small group interventions for struggling readers.
● Very strong foundation in Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop. Teachers and teacher leaders have travelled to Teacher’s
College for training.
● Lots of student choice including leveled books and high interest books. Student friendly rubrics are used.
Self-assessment are used for goal-setting.
● SPED teacher sees Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop as inclusive because students can access literature using
Play-Aways, audiobooks, or read-alouds online.
Identified Need Individuals Evidence of Need Other Issues Additional Info/Input from
Interviewed (interview, student data) Related to Need Interview
● Explicit phonics First grade teacher, ● Interview ● SPED students
instruction SPED teacher, fourth ● MAPS data especially need ● Teacher expressed
grade student the time crunch.
● FORWARD systematic and
data sequential order. Time needs to be
● Fountas & No “dabbling” carved out of the 420
Pinnell in phonics. minute day for
running record phonics instruction.
data Where will they fit
this block?
● Sight word instruction ● Interview ● Time should be
spent on Word
Work both in
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
the classroom ● Word Work feels
● Consistent Word Work ● Interview and in haphazard
block intervention
● Interview ● needs bins for
● More books needed
each unit.
Audio and
video resources
– a go-to bin for
scaffolding.
Student
interviewed also
mentioned she
would like to
see more
biographies and
more books
about history.
● More Graphic ● Interview
Organizers
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
Final Needs Statement:
Based on interviews and examined data, there is a need for daily, dedicated instructional time for systematic, explicit phonics in grades one and two. This
necessitates teacher in-service, materials, and communication between teacher leaders and teachers regarding phonics instruction and literacy block planning. To
meet this need, teachers and paraprofessionals will participate in an ongoing in-service series on Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping where they will receive planning
materials to effectively teach systematic, explicit phonics in their classrooms. Additionally, teachers and teacher leaders will collaborate in order to determine
how to best prioritize instruction minutes dedicated to phonics within the first and second grades' daily literacy block. In addition to ongoing in-service in
phonics instruction, teachers will receive in-class literacy coaching and support from the Reading Specialist.
Needs Based District Proposal
Phase 2: Research Base
Phonics instruction is a key foundational skill for student success in reading. The Literacy Research Panel of the International
Literacy Association (2018) based on current research in the area of phonics instruction. In this statement, the authors establish that
phonics is an essential part of instruction in a balanced reading program. This statement, combined with knowledge I have gained
through coursework, reading, classroom experience, and data analysis of the students at Ixonia Elementary School has lead me to
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
choose systematic, explicit phonics instruction as the broad topic for a needs-based literacy proposal addressing student needs in our
district.
The International Literacy Association (ILA) in its 2018 position statement on phonics instruction advocates for a balanced
approach to literacy, with phonics instruction as a foundational piece of the curriculum. The ILA lists other important aspects of a
balanced approach to literacy including comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, writing, and thinking. These components are already
important aspects of our literacy program. Our school’s well-developed use of Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop has provided
instruction in both reading strategies and skills and students are encouraged to read high interest books and are given many
opportunities for student choice throughout the curriculum. This makes the program accessible and inclusive. However, our first and
second grade levels are currently in need of training and materials that will build consistent phonics knowledge among our teachers.
For example, our first grade results (incoming second graders) for the Spring 2019 MAPS, show that the largest percentage of students
in the “Lo” range (22%) were found in the Foundational Skills strand of the test. Additionally, our Kindergarten (incoming first
graders) results for Spring 2019 MAPS, show that the lowest mean RIT score is in Foundational Skills. One research-based solution
to our low results in Foundational Skills (phonics) is the use of Phonics and spelling through phoneme grapheme mapping by Kathryn
Grace (2007).
Tolman (2005), whose 27-year long tenure in public education and in reading, specifically, highlights the foundational nature
of phonics in the reading progression of students. She recognizes that vocabulary and comprehension are the ultimate goals of
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
reading, but that the way to access these goals is through the teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency. She points out
that phonics assists good readers with improving both their fluency and spelling skills.
Ehri et al. (1998) summarize the phases of word learning and outline the instructional implications of each phase. The authors
describe the full alphabetic phase, wherein, students possess working knowledge of the major grapheme-phoneme correspondences,
including vowels. Matching up phonemes in pronunciations of words to graphemes assists in the conventional spellings of words.
The purpose of moving through this phase is to get students away from being “glued to print” when they read. As students practice
and master spelling patterns, they will be freed up, cognitively, to focus on vocabulary and comprehension. Thus, the importance of
mastering common spelling patterns in first and second grade.
Armbruster et al. (2001) clearly state that systematic and explicit phonics instruction is more effective than non-systematic or
no phonics instruction. Phonics through spelling is one approach outlined by the authors, whereby, children learn to segment words
into phonemes and to make words by writing letters for phonemes. Phonics and spelling through phoneme grapheme mapping is an
example of the phonics through spelling approach to teaching phonics. Armbruster et al. also list other benefits of systematic, explicit
phonics instruction. Among the benefits of phonics instruction is the increase in reading comprehension and efficacy for children of
various social and economic levels.
The Oconomowoc Area School District has provided our staff with quality literacy materials. In an effort to provide students
with the most effective balanced literacy practice, I have designed this needs-based literacy proposal recommending further phonics
instruction training and materials, which is founded on the cited research base. The research indicates that phonics instruction, when
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
taught systematically and explicitly, significantly increases young children’s ability to read (Armbruster et al., 2001; Ehri et al., 1998;
ILA, 2018; Tolman, 2005). Phonics instruction is considered best practice and will strengthen our early literacy program. Providing
teacher in-service and in-class coaching to staff in first and second grades will provide consistency for our beginning readers.
References
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
Armbruster, B. B., Lehr, F., Osborn, J., O’Rourke, R., Beck, I., Carnine, D., & Simmons, D. (2001). Put reading first. Washington,
DC: National Institute for Literacy.
Ehri, L. C., & McCormick, S. (1998). Phases of word learning: Implications for instruction with delayed and disabled readers.
Reading & Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties, 14(2), 135-163.
Grace, K. E. S. (2007). Phonics and spelling through phoneme-grapheme mapping. Longmont, CO: Sopris West Educational
Services. ISBN: 1-59318-499-9
International Literacy Association. (2018). Explaining phonics instruction: An educator’s guide [Literacy leadership brief]. Newark,
DE: Author.
Tolman, C. (2005). Working smarter, not harder: what teachers of reading need to know and be able to teach. Perspectives. Fall.
15-23
Needs Based Proposal
Phase 3: Proposal
Proposal:
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
The first and second grade teachers and paraprofessionals will participate in a series of in-service events and receive planning
materials to support the teaching of phonics and ensure consistent implementation. Additionally, the Reading Specialist will be made
available to first and second grade teachers for collaborative planning and implementation of the phonics curriculum.
Purpose of Proposal:
This proposal is designed to 1) provide in-service to meet the needs of early primary literacy learners in the area of phonics and
2) facilitate planning between classroom teachers and support paraprofessionals in providing phonics instruction. Phonics is a method
of teaching students to read by correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters in an alphabetic writing system. Research shows
that systematic, explicit instruction in phonics is more effective than non-systematic or no phonics instruction.
Population Served:
All students in first and second grade will benefit from this program.
Rationale for the Change:
The change will promote literacy development by increasing Foundational Skills and phonics proficiency at the early
elementary level. Research shows that systematic, explicit instruction in phonics is more effective than non-systematic or no
instruction in phonics. The MAPS data at Ixonia Elementary shows that in first grade (incoming second graders) the highest
percentage of students in the “Lo” range is found in Foundational Skills. Similarly, the MAPS data for Kindergarten (incoming first
graders) shows that the lowest mean RIT score is in Foundational Skills. This data reveals a deficit in phonics instruction. Interviews
with staff at Ixonia confirm that a strengthening of phonics instruction is a high need. This proposal meets all of the above needs.
Budget for Materials/Resources:
Pay at curriculum rate for 7 professional staff for 16 hours: $21.85/hour each
($2,447.20)
● 2 first grade teachers
● 2 second grade teachers
● 2 reading interventionists
● 1 reading specialist
Planning Materials: $41.55 per book X 7
($290.85)
● Phonics and spelling through phoneme grapheme mapping by Kathryn Grace.
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
($41.86)
● Glass beads for manipulatives: $2.99 per bag X 2 (blue and red)
Release time to analyze nonsense words assessments during common planning
($260)
● 4-substitute teachers/half day each
Total Cost: $3,039.91
Assessment:
● Dr. Seuss Words will be used for emerging readers. It is a series of nonsense words that cover the CVC short vowel
sounds.
● Power Patterns will be used for more advanced readers. This inventory includes patterns, such as, oi, oa, and c + le.
● Fall-Spring MAPS data in Foundational Skills will be reviewed to see if there has been an increase in the mean RIT
score in Foundational Skills. The percentage of students that fall in the “Lo” range for Foundational Skills will also be
analyzed.
Back-up Plan
Although all aspects of this plan are important and work together to build a strong foundation of knowledge in key staff
members, there is a back-up plan. During common planning times staff can collaborate to discuss a different curriculum that teaches
systematic, sequential phonics. An example of such a curriculum would be Systematic sequential phonics they use: For beginning
readers of all ages by Patricia Cunningham. A curriculum calendar will be developed during this collaboration, based on staff
experience and knowledge, so that the grade levels are teaching the same concepts at the same time. This curriculum calendar will
assist the reading specialist when performing walk-throughs and evaluations. This back-up plan will result in an effective curriculum
and increased communication.
Needs Based Proposal
Phase 4: Potential Obstacles
Running Head: NEEDS BASED DISTRICT PROPOSAL
● Financial Obstacle: With a total cost of $3 039.91, this proposal is of average expense. The benefits to staff and
students are vast and far-reaching as students build on their Foundational Skills year after year. The research base
strongly supports the inclusion of systematic and explicit phonics instruction.
● Logistic Obstacle: The plan includes in-service meetings to be attended by classroom teachers, as well as, the reading
specialist and reading interventionists. These professionals must be available to participate in order to be
well-informed members of the curriculum planning team. All of these professionals would need to dedicate 16 hours
of their summer to being trained in phoneme grapheme mapping. Conducting the training in the summer will save the
district the cost of paying for substitute teachers during the school year. Additionally, common planning time must be
arranged within the school days for teachers and support staff to collaborate, plan and discuss strengths and weaknesses
of the program. This planning time must be a priority when scheduling classes for specials throughout the week.
● Personnel Obstacle: One of the most important aspects of this plan is to work collaborative teaching times into the
schedules of Reading Specialists and the Reading Interventionists. Because Reading Interventionists are already
members of the staff, this will not add additional cost, however, it may be difficult to schedule. Staff must remain
flexible as teachers and support staff work together to build a strong phonics program. No additional staff members
will be needed.
