A recently awarded state grant will total $1.4 million to fund a reading interventionist who co-teaches in kindergarten through third grade at each of Logan County School District’s five elementary schools over the next four years.

The “Read to Achieve” grant mainly supports students not meeting the benchmark for reading, as the interventionist works in small groups during class, prioritizing about 20% of a class’s students — those determined to most need targeted, supplemental or intensive levels of support through Kentucky’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Auburn Elementary and Olmstead Elementary acquired the grant four years ago — making this a renewal for them and an expansion of the grant to the district’s Adairville, Chandlers and Lewisburg elementary schools, LCSD Elementary Programs Consultant Kaleigh Davenport said.

The program uses a curriculum based on up-to-date research known as Skills Block, which enables teachers to differentiate and monitor the specific reading skills students most need support for, Davenport said; both the regular classroom teachers and the interventionists get additional professional development.

Olmstead Elementary Academic Success Coach Kerri Hayes, who oversees curriculum and student progress at her school, said their interventionist is “definitely” impacting reading results for students.

For example, she sees around 35 students in the small groups, mainly first and second graders, each morning — roughly 40% of the students in those grades, Hayes said. About 42% of Olmstead Elementary’s first and second graders moved from below grade level in reading to grade level.

“… being able to dial down to individual needs is enormous to being able to accelerate student growth,” Hayes said.

The interventionist’s support has allowed students to close gaps that seemed far apart in August, Olmstead first-grade teacher Kassidy Stratton said. Morgan Estes, a second-grade teacher at Olmstead, described interventionist support as “a game-changer” for those needing targeted, supplemental or intensive levels of support within Kentucky’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports.

Since implementing Skills Block this year, they’ve pinpointed specific phonics skill gaps to provide targeted, consistent instruction in smaller groups, Estes said. The interventionist ensures students get structured, research-based phonics instruction that’s aligned with their needs and adjusted as their progress is monitored.

As a result, students have shown measurable growth in phonics, fluency and comprehension after struggling with foundational reading skills, Estes said.

“… we’re seeing students build confidence, take more risks as readers, and develop a love of reading as they experience success,” Estes added.