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Duval County Program Helps Poor Readers to Improve Skills Summer Reading School Gives Students Who Failed the FCAT an Opportunity to Catch Up.

Posted on: Thursday, 14 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

Duval County students who struggle the most in reading have been invited back to school this summer for four weeks of intensive instruction, but district officials estimate that less than half of the 3,000 eligible students will show up when school starts Monday.

These students were held back at the end of the school year because they failed the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Summer Reading School is their last chance to prove they can read well enough to be promoted to the next grade.

The largest percentage of summer school students, about 31 percent, are third-graders. State law requires students in that grade to be held back a year if they fail the FCAT. Last year, the Duval County School Board extended that policy to students in grades four through 10.

The goal is to catch up poor readers instead of allowing them to move on to the next grade and fall farther behind, said School Board Vice Chairwoman Brenda Priestly Jackson, who also serves as the board's liaison on reading initiatives. "We asked, 'How do we combat it?' "

The summer reading school has been in existence for several years. But this is the first year that students in other grades can participate.

The school system says that 3,110 students in grades three through 10 are eligible for the reading program because they were held back for failing the FCAT reading portion.

Students will spend roughly six hours a day practicing reading during the four weeks of Summer Reading School. They will get two days off during the July Fourth holiday.

Eligible students received letters at the end of the year. Since then, parents have been registering their children at the district office or school sites. Students who aren't registered by Wednesday will automatically repeat the same grade next year.

District officials estimate that 50 percent of eligible third-, fourth- and fifth-graders and about 40 percent of eligible students in grades six through 10 will enroll.

Those who do show up Monday will find 15 students or fewer in each class and a library that contains at least 100 books.

Larry Poole, who will be teaching summer school to fifth-graders at Susie Tolbert Elementary School, said the smaller class sizes will be beneficial.

"They can get more of my direct time and attention," he said.

The program will be held at 17 elementary schools around the county. Most of the district's middle and high schools will also be hosting the reading program.

Shirley Pugh said she decided to teach this summer because she has the tools to improve student reading.

"Knowing that they really struggled during the year, my heart goes out to help them, and I feel like I can really pull them up because I know some strategies to help them," said Pugh, who has been assigned to teach third-graders at Andrew Robinson Elementary School.

Pugh, a former special education teacher who recently finished a year of teaching second-graders at John Love Elementary School, said she has learned over the years that even students who are labeled negatively can respond to the right kind of instruction.

"Your title has nothing to do with your ability to learn," she said.

On the last day of summer school, students will take a test that will determine their ability to advance to the next grade level. Elementary school students also can be promoted if they demonstrate measurable progress. The teachers monitor each student's progress.

Darlene Chandler will be teaching third-graders at Sadie Tillis Elementary School. She said it will take a concerted effort from teachers and students if there will be improvement at the end of the program.

"It's going to take both of us," she said. "They're going to have to want to, along with us setting the way."

Priestly Jackson said she wishes more students were eligible for Summer Reading School, but she is hopeful those who do attend will be better readers.

"My hope is that by the end of summer we have more students that are closer to proficiency," she said.tia.mitchell@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4425

Source: Florida Times Union

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