2025-2026 Primary and Elementary Reading Plan
The passage of Act 114 updates The Read to Succeed Act by requiring schools and districts to prepare comprehensive reading proficiency plans that are aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy and foundational literacy skills. This year's reading plan prompts schools and districts to respond in a narrative format. For more information about reading plan requirements, along with a copy of the directions on how to complete the school reading plan, please visit the reading plan homepage at: https://ed.sc.gov/instruction/early-learning-and-literacy/read-to-succeed/reading-plans-state-district-and-school/.
District Name
Greenville County
School Name
Taylors Elementary
Principal Name
Heather Dye
Principal Email
hdye@greenville.k12.sc.us
Reading Coach/Literacy
Specialist Email
Melisa Owen
lowen@greenville.k12.sc.us
Section A: Five Pillars of Reading Instruction
Describe how reading assessment and instruction for all students in the school includes oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to aid in the comprehension of texts to meet grade‑level English/Language Arts standards.
Literacy instruction at Taylors Elementary School is rooted in the 2024 South Carolina College- and Career-Ready (SCCCR) English Language Arts (ELA) Standards and guided by the GCS Literacy Framework, which supports high-quality, evidence-based teaching practices. Instruction is purposefully designed to support all students in becoming proficient readers by integrating the key components of effective reading instruction: oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These components are taught and assessed in alignment with the Science of Reading and through a Tier 1 instructional model that includes whole group, small group, strategy groups, and one-on-one conferencing.
At our school, curriculum and instruction are intentionally designed to align with both strands of Scarborough’s Reading Rope. On one side, students develop strong word recognition through focused work in phonological awareness, phonics, and fluency. On the other strand, they strengthen language comprehension by building oral language, vocabulary, background knowledge, and reading comprehension. Each day includes dedicated instructional time for both language and word study, ensuring that students gain the foundational skills necessary for decoding while also learning to understand and engage with increasingly complex texts.
Literacy instruction is structured around a balanced literacy block. Students begin with read-alouds and focused lessons that build vocabulary and comprehension, then move into shared reading and close reading experiences to deepen their understanding of challenging texts. Independent reading and small-group instruction allow teachers to differentiate learning and provide targeted support. Mentor texts serve as models of effective writing, helping students see and analyze the techniques that authors use. Writing is equally emphasized through both community writing and independent writing opportunities, which reinforce comprehension and support language development. Oral language growth is nurtured intentionally through structured discussions, collaborative projects, and teacher-led read-alouds that encourage students to use and expand their academic vocabulary.
To support this instruction, we utilize a range of GCS-approved High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM). HMH Into Reading serves as our core ELA curriculum, guiding both whole-group and small-group instruction. In Grade 2, HMH Structured Literacy provides a systematic, Science of Reading-aligned approach to phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension. Supplemental resources such as Heggerty Phonemic Awareness (K–5) and Reading Horizons (K–2) provide explicit, sequential support for phonological awareness and phonics instruction. Together, these tools ensure that every student receives clear, systematic, and research-based literacy instruction.
Assessment plays a central role in guiding instruction and monitoring student progress. In first grade, MAP assessments track growth in reading comprehension and foundational skills. Mastery Connect benchmarks (Grades 2–5) provide standards-aligned measures of student mastery, while GCS-developed unit assessments and school-based formative assessments offer regular checkpoints for instructional adjustments. Amira Benchmark Assessments provide comprehensive insights aligned to Scarborough’s Reading Rope, including decoding, phonological awareness, word recognition, background knowledge, vocabulary, and oral reading fluency. The Amira Reading Mastery Score synthesizes these results to provide a clear picture of each student’s overall reading ability in relation to grade-level expectations.
Through the integration of oral language, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and robust assessments, our literacy program is built to meet the 2024 SCCCR ELA standards. By combining structured, research-based instruction with high-quality materials and ongoing data analysis, we ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow into a confident and capable reader.
Section B: Foundational Literacy Skills, Continued
Document how Word Recognition assessment and instruction for PreK-5th grade students are further aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy and foundational literacy skills.
At Taylors Elementary, instruction and assessment in word recognition for PreK through 5th grade are carefully aligned with the Science of Reading, Structured Literacy, and the GCS Literacy Framework. This alignment reflects a commitment to providing all students with explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction that builds reading skills in a logical progression. Students begin with the earliest stages of phonemic and phonological awareness and move toward accurate and fluent word reading, laying the foundation for strong comprehension.
Teachers at Taylors prioritize word recognition instruction that follows a deliberate sequence. Students first develop phonological awareness, learning to identify and manipulate the smallest units of sound, or phonemes. Instruction then progresses to phonics, where students build knowledge of letter-sound correspondence, practice decoding and encoding strategies, and master high-frequency words. Ultimately, this leads to fluent word reading, which is essential for comprehension and deeper engagement with text.
Instructional resources are tailored to meet students’ developmental needs. In Kindergarten through second grade, Reading Horizons provides structured lessons that emphasize phonological awareness, decoding and encoding, letter-sound correspondence, and high-frequency word recognition. Multi-sensory learning approaches are integrated throughout, ensuring that instruction supports diverse learning styles while aligning with Structured Literacy principles. In grades three through five, instruction continues to reinforce decoding, word analysis, and morphological awareness, particularly for students who need additional support in fluency and automaticity. Through HMH Into Reading, students apply these skills to increasingly complex texts, ensuring that word recognition continues to serve as a foundation for comprehension growth.
Assessment plays a vital role in guiding instruction and ensuring that every child receives the support they need. Amira Benchmark Assessments, administered in grades K–5, provide targeted evaluation of phonological awareness, letter-sound correspondence, high-frequency word recognition, vocabulary, background knowledge, and oral reading fluency. The Amira Reading Mastery (ARM) score synthesizes these measures into an overall reading ability score relative to grade-level expectations. Additional tools include MAP Growth for first grade, which offers insight into decoding and foundational skills, and Mastery Connect Benchmarks in grades two through five, which monitor student progress toward ELA standards. GCS-developed unit assessments and school-based formative assessments provide regular checkpoints, while the PAST Screener is used by interventionists to pinpoint specific student needs.
From Kindergarten through fifth grade, Taylors Elementary ensures that both instruction and assessment in word recognition are grounded in research and aligned with the principles of the Science of Reading. With the use of high-quality programs such as Heggerty, Reading Horizons, and HMH Word Study, along with comprehensive assessments like Amira, students gain the foundational skills necessary to become fluent, accurate readers. By focusing on these essential building blocks, Taylors equips every student with the skills they need to meet the 2024 SCCCR ELA Standards and thrive as lifelong readers.
Section C: Intervention
Document how the school uses universal screener data and diagnostic assessment data to determine targeted pathways of intervention (word recognition or language comprehension) for students in PreK-5th grade who have failed to demonstrate grade‑level reading proficiency.
At our school, supporting students who are not yet reading at grade level is a carefully planned, data-driven process aligned with the GCS MTSS Framework and the 2025–2026 GCS Tiered Supports guidance. From PreK through fifth grade, we use universal screener and diagnostic assessment data to identify students’ specific areas of need in either Word Recognition or Language Comprehension. This approach ensures that interventions are intentionally tailored to address the root causes of reading difficulties and provide individualized pathways to success.
Students’ reading performance is monitored regularly through a combination of universal screeners and diagnostic assessments. The Amira Benchmark Assessments, aligned with Scarborough’s Reading Rope, offer detailed insights into key components of reading development, including phonological awareness, decoding, high-frequency word recognition, vocabulary, background knowledge, and oral reading fluency and accuracy. Amira generates a variety of reports—including Class Progress, Skills Status, Reading Rope Insights, Student Summary, and Standards Mastery—that guide instructional planning and group placement. Additional formative and summative assessments, such as MAP Growth, Mastery Connect, and GCS unit assessments, are used alongside Amira data to create a comprehensive picture of each student’s strengths and areas for growth.
When a student performs below grade level on these assessments, the MTSS team—comprising teachers, interventionists, administrators, and specialists—meets every six to eight weeks to review progress monitoring data, analyze trends, and determine whether a student’s challenges stem from Word Recognition skills, such as decoding, phonics, and phonemic awareness, or from Language Comprehension skills, including vocabulary, background knowledge, and listening comprehension. Based on this analysis, the team assigns or adjusts interventions, placing students in flexible groups that evolve as progress is monitored. Parents are included in the planning process to ensure shared understanding and commitment to supporting student growth.
For students in need of supplemental support, Tier 2 interventions are matched to their specific areas of difficulty. Students struggling with Word Recognition may receive Reading Horizons instruction, which provides explicit, sequential phonics lessons with multisensory supports; Amira Interventions, offering targeted practice aligned with assessment results; or Lexia Core5, which focuses on phonics, decoding, and fluency. Students with Language Comprehension needs may participate in Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) for intensive vocabulary and comprehension instruction, Lexia Core5 for language development and complex text engagement, or Lexia English to support multilingual learners in oral language, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies.
Progress monitoring is conducted weekly or biweekly, depending on the intensity of the intervention and the student’s needs. Data from these checks informs instructional adjustments, group composition, and intervention focus, ensuring that support remains responsive and effective. The MTSS team works continuously to align interventions with the GCS Tiered Supports framework and maximize student growth.
Through the strategic use of Amira universal screener data, diagnostic tools, and GCS-approved interventions, our school provides targeted, evidence-based instruction for students below grade-level reading proficiency. Using Scarborough’s Reading Rope as a diagnostic framework allows educators to differentiate between Word Recognition and Language Comprehension needs, while the collaborative and fluid MTSS process ensures timely responses that support every student’s path to reading success.
Section D: Supporting Literacy at Home
Describe the system in place to help parents in your school understand how they can support the student as a reader and writer at home.
Our school has several systems in place to help parents understand how they can support their child as a reader and writer at home. Amira Parent Reports provide families with specific strategies to encourage literacy development in the home environment, giving guidance tailored to each student’s needs. In addition, teacher or school newsletters regularly share tips, resources, and updates about classroom learning so parents can reinforce reading and writing skills at home. Parents are invited to individual Student Led conferences where students share their progress on student WIGS(wildly important goals). We also host a Literacy Night, where families learn interactive ways to support fluency, comprehension, and writing development while building stronger home–school connections. Together, these efforts create a clear and consistent approach to empowering parents in supporting their child’s growth as readers and writers.
Section E: Progress Monitoring
Document how the school provides for progress monitoring of reading achievement and growth at the school level with decisions about intervention based on all available data to ensure grade-level proficiency in reading.
The school provides for progress monitoring of reading achievement and growth through a structured, data-driven process designed to ensure all students reach grade-level proficiency in reading. Amira progress monitoring is utilized to measure achievement and growth, with the expectation that students demonstrate ARM growth of >.1 per month (to accelerate progress) or achieve performance at the 25th percentile or higher on the ARM percentile.
Schools monitor student progress utilizing the MTSS & Amira Data Protocol and the GCS Intervention Progress Monitoring Data Sheet for 2025–2026. All interventions provided are carefully documented in the Intervention Connection System (ICS) to ensure fidelity and accountability.
Students identified as needing Tier 2, targeted interventions are progress-monitored monthly, while those requiring Tier 3, intensive intervention are progress-monitored every two weeks. Importantly, students reading above grade level are also progress-monitored to ensure their expected growth is maintained or exceeded, supporting continued grade-level proficiency.
Evidence demonstrates that a fluid response-to-intervention process is in place to adjust instruction based on student needs, especially for those performing below grade level. To address these needs, all students below benchmark receive daily interventions in addition to Tier 1 core instruction, ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for growth.
Section F: Teacher Training
Explain how the school will provide teacher training based in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills to support reading achievement for all students.
The school is committed to providing teacher training grounded in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills to ensure reading achievement for all students. Teachers collaborate in weekly grade-level PLCs to calibrate data and align instructional practices across the grade level, ensuring consistency and effectiveness in literacy instruction.
Professional development is both job-embedded and ongoing, with PD Diner sessions offered one time per quarter. These sessions focus on the SCCCR ELA standards, effective use of high-quality instructional materials (HMH and Reading Horizons) across the three tiers of instruction, data analysis, and the transfer of science of reading knowledge into daily classroom practice.
In addition, all Taylors K–3, ML, GT, administrative staff, and special education teachers have completed or are currently participating in LETRS training. To extend this expertise, some of our fourth and fifth grade teachers are also choosing to participate in LETRS, demonstrating a schoolwide commitment to deepening instructional knowledge and practice.
Through this layered approach—weekly PLC collaboration, quarterly PD Diners, and LETRS participation—the school ensures that teachers are well equipped to deliver high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction that supports the success of all learners.
Section G: Analysis of Data
Strengths:
Strong Student Achievement in ELA: Third-grade students exceeded school goals on SC Ready, with overall school ELA scores increasing by 10% from 61% to 71%. Additionally, our school surpassed the 95th percentile goal compared with schools in similar bands.
Effective Foundational Literacy Instruction: Reading Horizons in Kindergarten through second grade is providing robust foundational skills, ensuring students enter upper grades with strong literacy proficiency.
Ongoing Teacher Development in the Science of Reading: Over 90% of K–3 teachers are in their second year of LETRS training, with remaining teachers actively enrolled in Volume 1. Additionally, 60% of fourth- and fifth-grade teachers have opted into the optional LETRS training, demonstrating a school-wide commitment to evidence-based literacy practices.
Collaborative Instructional Planning: Weekly PLC time across all grade levels allows teachers to calibrate instruction, analyze student data, and align teaching practices using common assessments, fostering consistency and growth in literacy instruction.
Possibilities for Growth:
Increase Student Engagement During Instruction: Work on improving the balance between teacher talk and student talk to ensure students are actively participating and demonstrating understanding during lessons.
Maximize Technology Integration for Literacy: Increase the usage and engagement with Amira across all grade levels (K–5) to support consistent literacy growth.
Strengthen Home–School Literacy Connections: Enhance communication with families by providing targeted, actionable literacy activities tailored to the specific needs of at-risk students.
Enhance PLC Support and Collaboration: Ensure the Instructional Leadership Team provides clear guidance and releases planning time to grade-level teams, fostering more focused and effective collaborative planning.
Standardize Tier 1 Literacy Interventions: Develop and implement a consistent plan for Tier 1 interventions to meet diverse student needs, ensuring all students receive high-quality, targeted support.
*Note: The three questions below are included this year to gauge school-level LETRS implementation.
"Eligible" teachers for state-funded LETRS training:
K-3 Classroom Teachers
Reading Coaches
Reading interventionists
K-3 Special Education Teachers
School Administrators
How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volume 1 ONLY of LETRS?
34
How many eligible teachers in your school have completed Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS?
1
How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 1 of LETRS this year (or have not yet started or completed Volume 1)?
3
How many eligible teachers in your school are beginning Volume 2 of LETRS this year?
34
How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school have completed EC LETRS?
na
How many CERDEP PreK teachers in your school are beginning EC LETRS this year?
na
Section H: Previous School Year SMART Goals and Progress Toward those Goals
Please provide your previous school goals from last school year and the progress your school has made towards these goals. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to determine progress toward the goal (s). As a reminder, all schools serving third grade were required to use Goal #1 (below).
Goal #1:
Third Grade Goal: Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring at the “Does Not Meet” level in the spring of 2024 as determined by SCReady from 29.9 % to 25% in the spring of 2025.
Progress:
The percentage of third graders scoring at the “Does Not Meet” level in the spring of 2025 was 6%. We exceeded our goal by 19%. Five of the seven who scored “Does Not Meet” have an IEP, 1 is an ML and has also received reading intervention and the other was retained.
Section I: Current School Year SMART Goals and Action Steps Based on Analysis of Data
All schools serving students in third grade MUST respond to the third grade reading proficiency goal. Note the change in language for the 3rd grade goal to align with the SCDE’s 2030 vision of 75% of students at or above grade level. Schools that do not serve third grade students may choose a different goal. Goals should be academically measurable. All goals should align with academic growth or achievement. Schools must provide a minimum of two goals.
The Reading Plan may be helpful in determining action steps to reach an academic goal. Schools are strongly encouraged to incorporate goals from the school renewal plan. Utilize a triangulation of appropriate and available data (i.e. SC READY, screeners, MTSS processes, benchmark assessments, and observational data) to set reasonable goal(s) for the current school year.
For all schools serving third grade students, goal #1 MUST read:
Third Grade Goal: Reduce the percentage of third graders scoring at the “Does Not Meet” level in the spring of 2025 as determined by SCReady from __ % to __% in the spring of 2026.
Goal #1
Third Grade Goal: Increase the percentage of third graders scoring Meets and Exceeds in the spring of 2025 as determined by SC READY from 74% to 77% in the spring of 2026.
Action Steps:
All students are expected to engage with the Amira Tutor for 30 minutes each week, with activities specifically targeted to their areas of growth. Weekly class total charts are posted to motivate students and celebrate progress.
Our full-time intervention teacher prioritizes third-grade students identified as high-risk on the Amira benchmark, using this data to inform targeted instructional support.
Each grade level participates in weekly PLCs to analyze student data and refine instructional practices, ensuring alignment with student needs.
Through OnTrack and MTSS, third-grade students receive focused attention throughout the year. The Literacy Specialist maintains a comprehensive annual spreadsheet tracking students performing below grade level on screeners, summative assessments, and diagnostic tools. She meets regularly with the intervention team to review progress-monitoring data and collaborates with third-grade classroom teachers at least quarterly to discuss student growth.
Every third-grade student has an individualized reading goal, accompanied by lead measures to achieve it. Progress is carefully monitored and tracked throughout the year to ensure every student advances toward proficiency.
Goal #2
Reduce the percentage of K-5th grade students scoring in the ‘at risk’ range in the fall of 2025 as determined by Amira from 12% to 10% in the spring of 2026.
Action Steps
Weekly Adaptive Tutoring
All students engage with the Amira adaptive tutor for 30 minutes per week, using lessons tailored to their individual areas of growth.
Class total charts are posted weekly to encourage completion and celebrate progress.
Data-Driven Instruction through PLCs
PLCs meet at least monthly to analyze Amira and Reading Horizons (RH) data.
The Instructional Coach (IC) and Literacy Coach support teachers in differentiating instruction to meet student needs.
Standards-Based Assessment Review
Mastery Connect summative assessments are analyzed for grades 2–5.
Standards with less than 50% mastery are reviewed, and next steps are determined for both classwide and individual student interventions.
Ongoing Literacy Coaching
The Literacy Coach continues professional development in Reading Horizons to strengthen coaching skills.
She supports teachers in Kindergarten through 2nd grade with differentiated instruction with Reading Horizons based on class data.
Targeted Intervention for K–3
The Intervention Lead Teacher collaborates with the Literacy Coach to identify students with the highest need for support based on benchmark data.
The Literacy Coach meets regularly with intervention teachers to ensure individual student needs are addressed using progress-monitoring data.
The Literacy Coach assists teachers with finding differentiated activities in Amira to meet the needs of students who are reading in the at-risk range.