Case Study: Foundational Literacy Growth in Dansville, New York
Partnering for Success: PK–2 Literacy Growth
During the 2024–2025 school year, I partnered with Dansville Central School District to support PK–2 teachers in accelerating foundational literacy skills and building robust vocabulary instruction. Our focus was on targeted, actionable strategies that could be applied immediately in the classroom, while keeping the whole child in mind.
Measurable Outcomes. Real Results.
Through intentional collaboration, teachers and students achieved significant growth, as reflected in the district’s AIMSweb assessment data from the beginning of the 2024 school year to the beginning of the 2025 school year.
These results reflect consistent growth across grades, with measurable improvements in both decoding and comprehension skills.
Kindergarten
Letter Naming
Increased from 53.4% to 83.2%
Letter-Word Sound Fluency
Increased from 79% to 84%
Initial Sounds
Increased from 52.3% to 83.1%
1st Grade
Letter-Word Sound Fluency
Increased from 29% to 65%
Nonsense Word Fluency
Increased from 57% to 79%
Phoneme Segmentation
Increased from 77% to 83%
Word Reading Fluency (ORF)
Increased from 46% to 76%
2nd Grade
Reading Comprehension
Increased from 74% to 82%
Vocabulary
Increased from 49% to 55%
These results reflect consistent growth across grades, with measurable improvements in both decoding and comprehension skills.
Working together to achieve goals.
All partnerships with me follow a five-element approach that ensures meaningful, sustainable impact.
Mission Alignment. Every teacher and leader understands and commits to the district’s literacy mission, ensuring a shared vision for student success.
Inquiry-Driven Goal Setting. Teams leverage formal and informal data to identify priority areas, framed as inquiry questions. Every voice informs the path forward.
Practice with Support. Teachers implement new strategies collaboratively, with ongoing guidance and feedback that build both confidence and instructional skill.
Intentional Follow-Up. Leaders schedule follow-up conversations to clarify roles, support teachers, and reinforce literacy goals.
Open Dialogue & Reflection. Honest discussions address challenges, recognize teacher expertise, and ensure instructional decisions center on student benefit. Continuous tracking and celebration of progress guide next steps.