Alpine students made historic strides in reading as more than half of all elementary schools in Alpine School District received official commendations from the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) for exceptional literacy growth.
While approximately 19% of schools in Utah achieved the commendation, 51% of Alpine Schools met the 10% growth threshold. Within the district, 40 schools saw gains of 10% or more in student reading proficiency in at least one grade level, and 14 of those schools achieved surges of 20% or more.
Julie Clark, the P-12 English Language Arts Coordinator at USBE, stated that moving that many students in one year's time is significant and difficult. Clark also noted that the state has set an ambitious goal to have 70% of all Utah third graders reading at grade level by 2027.
Elementary area supervisor Katie Bowman said recognizing growth alongside proficiency in literacy is essential because it offers a fuller, more equitable view of student learning. Bowman explained that while proficiency captures where a student is at a specific moment, growth highlights progress made over time and reflects the impact of instruction.
Bowman credited teachers, teams, and training for the growth, noting that school staff have been part of systematic and research-based literacy training over the last few years. She added that grade level teams are using a broader range of assessment sources to ensure they are teaching to the rigor needed for students to thrive.
Teachers have been setting goals at the classroom, grade, and school level with access to more data than ever before to guide instructional approaches and interventions. According to Clark, third-grade reading proficiency serves as a primary indicator for high school graduation and future career earnings.
Clark suggested that parents can support this work by engaging with their children in text by reading together, discussing what they are reading, engaging in meaningful conversations, and helping children expand their vocabulary.
