LETTER: The Literacy Team For Sudbury Schools Concerned Over Plans To Eliminate Services

SUDBURY, MA — The following was submitted by the Literacy Team for the Sudbury Public Schools submits "to express our concern regarding the current non-override plans to eliminate Literacy Support Services amid potential service cuts."

The discontinuation of Literacy Support Services will result in no Tier II support for struggling readers in the District. Since its inception in 1998, the Literacy Program has supported thousands of Sudbury students and has played an integral role in supporting the town’s commitment to meet the needs of all students.

Literacy Support Services are referred to as “Supplemental Instruction” in the SPS FY 18 Budget Plan. Literacy services are not “supplemental”, but rather targeted instruction for identified students in curriculum skills that can be applied to all core content areas. Reading is not an isolated skill; it affects the comprehension of mathematical word problems as well understanding content in science and social studies.

We are a deeply committed group of professionals whose work is critical to promote effective student learning. Our reading services model provides systematic and explicit intervention to a broad range of students with a variety of complex literacy needs. Currently, the Literacy Team, comprised of Literacy Specialists and Literacy Tutors, provides direct support to a significant percentage of students in the critical foundational years and nearly 200 students in K-5. Most of the students whom we service reach grade level benchmarks. Research shows small group instruction has proven effective for "at-risk" readers. Our instruction and interventions are data driven and based on best practices.

Through our support and recommendations, we enable students to succeed within the general education curriculum resulting in fewer special education referrals. Without targeted literacy interventions, students could potentially struggle in general education until they reach frustration levels.

The Literacy Program is an asset and resource to the classroom teachers. The Literacy Team collaborates with grade level teams, creates professional development, provides expertise to the teachers, designs and implements standard-based lessons and curriculum and consults with many service providers. We routinely communicate with parents regarding student progress and attend parent conferences.

Elimination of the Literacy Program directly and negatively compromises the most fundamental educational building blocks a school district is entrusted to provide. While we appreciate the challenges the School Committee and the Superintendent face when charged with making difficult budget decisions, if our core mission is to develop strong and proficient life-long learners, early intervention for struggling readers and writers is ESSENTIAL to realize this goal.

We believe the support and services the Literacy Team provides, while a small portion of the total SPS budget, saves money over time and more importantly allows children to meet with success throughout their tenure in the Sudbury Public Schools.

Please support the retention of the Literacy Program in all budgets.

Respectfully,

The Sudbury Literacy Team
Ellen Vedora, Jane Badman (Haynes)
Melissa Sarno, Safura Hussain (Loring)
Lori Patrick, Bonnie McGavick (Nixon)
Elizabeth Richter, Louise Noce, Laura Murdock (Noyes)