Washington Elementary School
685 Baldwin Street
Waterbury, CT 06706
(203) 574-8177

Grades: PK–8
Website

Teachers at Washington Elementary School have focused on improving literacy and initiating early intervention in literacy for first grade children. As such, teachers increased the average amount of daily independent reading for all children (from 17 minutes in 2009–2010 to 30 minutes in 2010–2011). To provide early intervention for children well-below grade level in literacy, two teachers were trained in Reading Recovery®. Each child entered the program with scores well-below grade level (at a Kindergarten or beginning first grade level) and were working in well-below grade level groups in their classrooms. In just 14 weeks, four of these children demonstrated accelerated learning and scored at the second grade level on the end of program assessments. This remarkable growth is a demonstration of closing the achievement gap as each of these children left first grade assigned to well-above average or average second grade reading groups, including English Language Learners.

Improvements in Washington students’ literacy outpaced those for the Waterbury School District in the 2010–2011 school year. Developmental Reading Assessments (DRAs) in the winter indicated that approximately one third of students at Washington were reading at a proficient level – the same as the rest of the district. However, in the following spring, Washington had increased to more than half (55%) of students reading at a proficient level, compared to the district’s 36% proficiency rate. Washington also moved from a third of students deficient on DRAs in the winter to only 14% deficient in the spring, whereas the district remained stable in that same time period with approximately one quarter of all Waterbury public school students deficient in reading. Washington ultimately made Safe Harbor demonstrating substantial academic improvement.