Literacy

Local Literacy Plan for Duplessis Primary School/Ascension Public Schools

Principal: Allison Brown

Superintendent: Dr. Edith Walker

Duration: August 3, 2026 – May 24, 2027

Document Information

Organization: Louisiana Department of Education

Website: Louisiana Department of Education website

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 94064, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064

Louisiana's Literacy Pillars

Four Core Pillars

Literacy Goals
Explicit Instruction, Interventions, and Extensions
Ongoing Professional Growth
Families

Unifying Statement: Across all literacy practices, we want to ensure access and opportunities for every learner every day.

Section 1A: Literacy Vision and Mission Statement

Guiding Questions

What is the school or system's focus and mindset around literacy?
What is the primary, overarching goal and expected or intended outcomes for the school or schools around literacy?
Are the vision and mission statements inclusive of all leaders, teachers, students, and families?

Literacy Vision

All students will have improved literacy outcomes through high-quality interactions and high-quality instruction led by an effective teacher supported by leaders and families.

Literacy Mission Statement

The mission of the Ascension Public School System is to provide each student the high-quality literacy education necessary to succeed.

Section 1B: Literacy Goals

Guiding Questions

What are the overall literacy goals?
What are the student-focused leading and lagging goals, including individual subgroups?
What teacher-focused goals lead to students meeting their goals?
What are the program-focused goals for creating structures that help students and teachers succeed?
How is the plan to measure these goals?

Goal 1: Student-Focused

By the end of the 2026–2027 school year, 89% of Kindergarten students will score at or above benchmark on the EOY DIBELS assessment.
By the end of the 2026–2027 school year, 85% of first-grade students will score at or above benchmark on the EOY DIBELS assessment.
By the end of the 2026–2027 school year, 84% of second-grade students will score at or above benchmark on the EOY DIBELS assessment.
By the end of the 2026–2027 school year, 80% of third-grade students will score at or above benchmark on the EOY DIBELS assessment.
By the end of the 2026–2027 school year, 75% of the Bottom 25% subgroup of first- and second-grade students will meet their individualized growth goal on the EOY DIBELS assessment.
Students in grades 3–5 will increase their proficiency on LEAP ELA by 4 percentage points, from 63% to 67%.
Students in grades 4–5 will meet their individualized growth goal on ELA LEAP by 4 percentage points, from 56% to 60%.
Average daily student attendance will increase to

Goal 2: Teacher-Focused

By September 2026, all K–5 ELA teachers will have completed training on the HQIM ELA curriculum.
By September 2026, all K–3 teachers will have completed training on the administration and scoring of the DIBELS assessment and progress-monitoring tools.

By September 2026, all K–5 teachers will have completed training on literacy interventions and programs.
By April 2027, all required K–3 teachers will have completed or be actively working on an approved Science of Reading course or passed an approved PRAXIS exam.

Goal 3: Program-Focused

Starting in August 2026, the ILT will meet weekly to analyze student work and data to guide instructional decisions.
Starting in August 2026, 100% of teachers will meet weekly for data-driven teacher collaboration sessions.
By September 15, 2026, all students will begin receiving prescribed interventions and tutoring aligned to needs identified in data sources.
By January 2027, 100% of ELA teachers will demonstrate proficiency as measured by the LER.

Section 2: Explicit Instruction, Intervention, and Extension

Louisiana's Tiered Pathways for Literacy Support (TPLS) Framework guides implementation of healthy Tier I core instruction and extension, as well as effective Tier II and Tier III interventions. While acceleration, intervention, and special education services are essential, they cannot replace coherent literacy instruction using high-quality instructional materials (HQIM). Healthy Tier I instruction for all students is the best prevention measure against overloading the intervention system. This section is designed to support Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III instruction.

Tier I

Are Tier I instruction and small-group support consistently delivered by a classroom teacher trained in the effective implementation of approved HQIM?
- Strong Tier I instruction should result in at least 80% student mastery in overall class assessment data.
Are curriculum-based assessments from HQIM used consistently to evaluate the effectiveness of Tier I core instruction?
Is the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) trained in the implementation and evaluation of the HQIM?
Is there a regular walkthrough schedule to determine support around Tier I?
Is the ILT responding to data to support a healthy Tier I?
Are teachers and leaders effectively trained in unit and lesson preparation, including:

7. What date and resources are being used to suport extension?

In grades K–3, a minimum of 120 minutes per day is devoted to the development of foundational literacy skills. The majority of this instructional time is dedicated to HQIM Tier I core instruction in foundational literacy.

All students engage in core instruction aligned to all strands of literacy development, including all strands of Word Recognition and Language Comprehension. HQIM curriculum-based assessments are utilized.

At least 30 minutes of the 120-minute block is reserved for daily literacy intervention for students who have been identified as having literacy skills below grade level. Students who are performing on grade level engage in reinforcement of foundational literacy while peers receive intervention.

Grades 4–5

In grades 4–5, a minimum of 60 minutes per day is devoted to grade-level HQIM ELA core instruction. HQIM curriculum-based assessments are utilized.

Students needing foundational literacy intervention receive an additional block of foundational literacy instruction and tutoring three to five times per week.

Teacher Training and Monitoring

During their first 60 days of assignment, all teachers are trained on high-quality implementation of HQIM.

Implementation is monitored by:

Formal observations using LER
Informal regular walkthroughs using HQIM and LDOE walkthrough tools
Teacher observational data
Student performance data
Job-embedded professional learning

The ILT prioritizes the frequency of walkthroughs in particular classrooms or grade levels and the type of follow-up support needed.

English Language Arts Textbooks and Instructional Materials

The following instructional materials have been adopted:

Amplify CKLA Skills Edition 2, grades K–3
Louisiana Guidebooks, grades K–2
Louisiana Guidebooks 2022, grades 3–5

Tier II

Key Questions

Is the Tier II intervention being provided by a classroom teacher, tutor, or other extensively trained literacy educator using approved HQIM?
Are curriculum-based measures and assessments from HQIM consistently used with integrity to reflect the effectiveness of the Tier II intervention?
Does the skill of the intervention and the progress-monitoring tool align with the identified needs of the student based on current literacy assessment data?
Do student schedules ensure they are not pulled from Tier I core instruction to receive Tier II intervention?
Has progress monitoring of Tier II intervention occurred biweekly or weekly, depending on the needs of the student as indicated by assessment data?

Tier II Plan, Including the Amount of Time

Through the use of the LDOE-approved literacy screener and high-quality assessments available through the core curriculum, students are universally assessed and identified if they have literacy skills below grade level.

Students with literacy skills below grade level:

Receive specific, intensive, and systematic instruction on foundational skills for at least 30 minutes per day, five days a week, in addition to full core-block instruction.
Receive explicit instruction within flexible, small groups of students.
Receive instruction that targets specific skills for which students have shown deficits. mCLASS intervention and CKLA intervention instructional materials are utilized.
Have opportunities for guided and independent practice with feedback from the teacher.
Are progress monitored every ten school days.
Receive high-dosage tutoring with approved instructional materials for a period of ten weeks, with group sizes of four or fewer students.
Receive an Individual Academic Support Plan.

Available Interventions and Descriptions

mCLASS intervention K–5: Prescriptive intervention aligned to DIBELS submeasure data for individual students.
CKLA Assessment and Remediation Guide, CKLA Intervention Toolbox, Amplify Intervention, and Amplify Reading: Interventions that support foundational literacy skills and are aligned to the approach, scope, and sequence of the HQIM core.
Amira: Computer-based, real-time feedback reading assistant and foundational program.

Tier III

Key Questions

Is the Tier III intervention being provided by a literacy staff member who possesses deep conceptual knowledge and specialized skills in reading instruction and has been fully trained in the adopted Tier III curriculum?
Are curriculum-based measures and assessments from HQIM consistently used with integrity to reflect the effectiveness of the Tier III intervention?
Does the skill of the intervention and the progress-monitoring tool align with identified needs of the student based on current literacy assessment data?
Do student schedules ensure they are not pulled from Tier I core instruction to receive Tier III intervention?
Is progress monitoring of Tier III interventions occurring at least weekly to track student progress and adjust interventions as needed?

Tier III Plan, Including the Amount of Time

Students receiving Tier III intervention engage in daily doses of precisely prescribed foundational literacy instruction in addition to Tier I core instruction and other universally offered interventions.

Tier III is organized as individual instruction or groups smaller than Tier II. Tier III is a minimum of 30 minutes daily.

Available Interventions and Descriptions

FIRE: Foundational Instruction for Reading Excellence: Louisiana Department of Education-approved intervention.
Guidebooks FUEL: Fluency Utilized to Engage Learners: Louisiana Department of Education Tier I curriculum resource.
Amplify Reading mCLASS Intervention: Prescriptive intervention aligned to DIBELS submeasure data for individual students.
CKLA Assessment and Remediation Guide, CKLA Intervention Toolbox, Amplify Intervention, and Amplify Reading: Interventions that support foundational literacy skills and are aligned to the approach, scope, and sequence of the HQIM core.
Amira: Computer-based, real-time feedback reading assistant and foundational program.

Action Plan

The following table contains the literacy plan's goals, timelines, action steps, responsible persons, resources, and monitoring evidence.

Action Plan Goals, Timelines, and Responsibilities

Goal	Timeline	Action Steps	Person or Persons Responsible	Resources	Monitoring Evidence of Teacher and Student Success
1	August–September	ILT and Teacher Collaboration: Unit and lesson preparation	ILT Team/Master Teacher	K–2 Skills Unit; K–2 Skill Lesson Preparation; 3–12 Unit Preparation; 3–12 Lesson Preparation	Teachers' unit preparation documents will demonstrate understanding of skills and knowledge unpacked from HQIM assessments, rubrics, exemplars, and texts. Lesson annotations will demonstrate understanding of lesson and activity purpose, mastery expectations, and differentiation. Evidence includes measurable increases on student exit tickets, daily formative assessments, curriculum-based assessments, and instructional walkthrough data.
2	August	Set individual EOY literacy goals for students	ILT	DIBELS and LEAP scores	Students and subgroups demonstrate growth from year to year.
2	August–September	ILT ELA/Writing Cycle and Teacher Collaboration Cycle	ILT Team/ELA Master Teacher	3–12 LEAP Assessment Guide and Rubric	Establish criteria for mastery of all ELA standards and create exemplar models for student writing.
3	August–December–April	DIBELS Literacy Team: Assessment and data analysis in teacher collaboration	Reading Interventionist	ELA standards; mCLASS platform; DIBELS results; Burst intervention calendar	Monitor student work through data trackers in ILT, cluster, and PLC meetings; analyze student work; establish a progress-monitoring calendar; monitor progress-monitoring data; and meet monthly in problem-solving meetings with SBLC to review student data.
4	October–January–March–May	Quarterly data share to analyze benchmark results as they align to student goals and projected LEAP performance	Master Teachers	Benchmark data and student goals	ILT will engage in quarterly schoolwide data analysis with intentional actions to respond to teachers and PLCs. Teacher collaboration will engage in aligned quarterly data analysis of individual student performance with intentional actions to respond to students.

Section 3A: Professional Learning: Partners

Questions

Have teachers received initial implementation and launch training on their HQIM?
Is there ongoing professional learning around the different components and assessments within the HQIM? How is the leadership evaluating the effectiveness of the professional learning?
Are teachers trained in the Science of Reading, reading interventions, and content or disciplinary literacy as applicable by grade level?
Are coaching days provided by the Louisiana Professional Learning Partners?
Have the Louisiana Professional Learning Partners been evaluated based on the ELA Criteria using the efficacy indicators?

Potential Professional Learning Planning

The following table contains the planned professional development topics, scheduled dates, and intended attendees.

Professional Development Training Schedule

Month or Date	Topic	Attendees
August 2026	Training: HQIM ELA Guidebooks	Third- through fifth-grade ELA teachers new to this content and grade band
August 2026	Training: HQIM CKLA Edition 2	Kindergarten through third-grade ELA teachers new to this content and grade band
September 2026	Training: HQIM ELA Guidebooks and writing	Kindergarten through second-grade ELA teachers new to this content and grade band
September 2026	Training: DIBELS Literacy Screener and Progress Monitoring	Kindergarten through third-grade teachers new to this assessment
Ongoing, 2026–2027	Science of Reading coursework	Any required K–3 teacher who has not yet completed an approved Science of Reading course

Section 3B: Professional Learning: Instructional Leadership Teams and Teacher Collaboration

Guiding Questions

What is the ILT/TC long-range plan to support literacy?
Is the ILT/TC long-range plan chunked into cycles that lead to the success of yearly goals?
How and when is the effectiveness of cycles monitored?
Is HQIM embedded in the cycles and long-range plans?
How do the LER indicators support HQIM implementation during cycles in ILT and TC?
Are ILT members trained to support literacy?

Cycle Planning

The following table contains potential cycle topics, cycle goals, and methods for monitoring success.

ILT and Teacher Collaboration Cycle Goals and Monitoring

Potential Cycle Topic	Goal for Cycle	How Success Is Monitored
High-Quality Lesson Planning	By the end of the cycle, 100% of ELA teachers will have a process for high-quality lesson planning that results in incremental gains in student achievement in grades K–5.	Learning walks by the core team and ILT; IGP teacher reflections; student work analysis; district benchmark checkpoints; and intentional tracking by ILT and teachers.
ELA Writing Teacher Collaboration Cycle	By the end of the cycle, 100% of teachers will deepen their content knowledge of writing instruction, resulting in gains in student achievement in grades K–5.	Learning walks by the core team and ILT; IGP teacher reflections; student work analysis; district benchmark checkpoints; and intentional tracking by ILT and teachers.
DIBELS Bottom 25%	By the end of the cycle, 100% of ELA teachers will implement high-quality literacy blocks that meet the needs of all students, grow and expand students' literacy skills, and build skilled readers in grades K–5.	ILT learning walks and observations; master teacher coaching; progress monitoring and responding; and district benchmarks.

Section 4: Family Engagement Around Literacy

Key Questions and Guidance

To improve family engagement around literacy, what is the plan to:
- Include families in focus groups and other discussions with teachers, students, and leaders around:
  - School literacy priorities and programs aligned to the school's mission
  - Family access to interpret literacy data, including screener and LEAP results, and available resources
- Use communication and methods that accommodate all families
- Provide ongoing support and communication to families regarding the progress of their child's IASP
- Provide family-friendly professional learning regarding literacy knowledge and grade-level student expectations
How can community partners:
- Engage families and strengthen the connections between school and community
- Invest in sustained literacy efforts in the school and community that extend beyond the school day
- Expand access to literacy resources
What resources and tools are shared with families and community partners to enhance literacy?

Implementation Timeline and Activities

The following table contains family engagement activities, accessibility opportunities, and community partners by date.

Family Engagement Activities and Accessibility Options

Month or Date	Activity	Accessibility Opportunities	Community Partners
September 2026, January 2027, and April 2027	School staff provide frequent, regular opportunities for two-way communication between teachers and families about each student's literacy screener results, progress between screening periods, core instruction and interventions, and ways families can support continued progress at home.	In-person conferences; written information with copies for families; communication in multiple languages; and virtual meetings.	Parent liaisons
October 2026	High-Stakes DIBELS Literacy Night	In-person conferences; written information with copies for families; and communication in multiple languages.	Not specified
February 2027	LEAP Literacy Night	In-person conferences; written information with copies for families; and communication in multiple languages.	Not specified

Section 5: Alignment to Other Initiatives

To successfully implement, communicate, and monitor this literacy plan, what is the plan to:

Identify which district or school initiatives most directly support literacy goals, including:
- School improvement plan
- Early childhood programs
- Cross-curricular initiatives
- Community programs
- System-wide priorities across schools
Determine which initiatives should be prioritized, integrated, or streamlined to ensure sustainable implementation of literacy goals.
Align initiatives to ILT priorities, walkthrough look-fors, and teacher collaboration cycle goals.

Initiative Alignment

The following table contains other programs or initiatives, their connections to literacy, and plans for monitoring success.

District and School Initiatives Supporting Literacy Goals

Other Programs or Initiatives	Connection to Literacy	Monitoring Plan and Evidence of Success
District-wide priority area for 2026–2027: ELA performance	Across all schools in Ascension, an instructional priority area has been established for ELA. The priority is driven by growth data collected at the end of the 2025–2026 school year. Grades 2, 5, and 8 are focus areas.	Principals will conduct learning walks across schools in groups of three to four in the priority areas of grades 2 and 5 on elementary campuses. Observational instructional data and student work artifacts will be collected for analysis of student progress toward yearly growth and proficiency goals. Principals will adjust instructional long-range planning as necessary based on learning walk experiences.
Early Childhood: Instructional materials expansion	Across all schools in Ascension, credible phonemic-awareness instruction using Heggerty has been scaled for implementation. Credible assessment of early literacy skills has also been scaled for accurate measurement of instructional impact. These efforts are intended to adequately prepare students for early literacy learning in Kindergarten.	Ascension will administer PELI across early childhood classes to measure student performance and growth in early literacy skills. School leaders and teachers will use this data to measure instructional impact and adjust long-range planning.

Section 6: Communicating the Plan

To ensure clear communication and strong implementation of this literacy plan, what is the plan to:

Define clear, non-negotiable implementation expectations for schools, including the role of school-based literacy teams and alignment with ILT and teacher collaboration structures.
Clarify the roles and responsibilities of district leaders, school leaders, instructional coaches, and teachers in implementing and monitoring the plan.
Communicate the plan to families and community members in clear, accessible ways, including the plan's goals, expectations, and how they can support student literacy.
Provide regular, transparent updates on progress, including both student literacy outcomes and implementation progress.
Establish consistent structures for monitoring implementation at the school level, such as quarterly reporting and benchmark meetings.

Communication Plan

The following table contains the communication strategy, intended stakeholder groups, and timelines for sharing the literacy plan and progress information.

Literacy Plan Communication Strategy by Stakeholder Group

Stakeholder Group	Plan for Communicating	Timeline
School-based instructional staff	Utilize scheduled teacher development and professional learning days, ILT meetings, and Teacher Collaboration meetings to clearly communicate expectations to instructional staff for implementation of the School Improvement Plan and Instructional Team Long-Range Plan.	August–September 2026
Parents and community members	Post the school's literacy plan on the school's website.	September 2026
School-based instructional staff	Administrators collaborate with the School Test Coordinator to create a calendar of progress-monitoring dates for literacy assessments and ensure that all teachers follow scheduled progress-monitoring expectations.	September 2026
Parents and guardians	School staff provide frequent, regular opportunities for two-way communication between teachers and families.	September 2026–January 2027
Teachers and families	Communicate results of each student's literacy screener, progress between screening periods, core instruction and interventions, and specific ways families can support continued progress at home.	April 2027
Parents and guardians	Parents are provided school goals at open house. Individual student goals are also discussed at parent-teacher conference meetings.	August 2026, October 2026, and March 2027