LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is doubling down on his decision to replace a much-loved early reading intervention program known as Primary Promise with a new model to support students struggling with reading and math.
His decision is backed by the district’s elected school board, but has been criticized by teachers and parents who regard Primary Promise as an essential tool to ensure that all young students master basic reading and writing skills.
“The district is taking apart a program that has been very successful,” said Nicolle Fefferman, a 16-year LAUSD teacher who is currently on leave. “Even though the board voted unanimously in 2020 to implement this program, it has just now been decided by the superintendent that it is no longer what students need to help them gain literacy skills early on in their education.”
Carvalho insists that his new plan — which is dubbed the Literacy and Numeracy Intervention Model — is a better approach that will reach a more students and be more financially sustainable.
“(Primary Promise) was not scalable the way it was organized or funded,” said Carvalho during a Tuesday, June 6 LAUSD Board of Education meeting. “That’s why we’re revamping it, ensuring the democratization of invention and scaling up to reach all grade levels.”
Primary Promise was introduced in August 2020 during the pandemic by then-Superintendent Austin Beutner. It began by pairing about 2,500 high-need children in kindergarten through third grade with a trained reading specialist who provided reading and writing lessons in small groups.
After getting rave reviews from LAUSD officials, Primary Promise was expanded and has reached more than 22,000 students, according to data presented by Chief Academic Officer Frances Baez on June 6.
Carvalho’s replacement program, the Literacy and Numeracy Intervention Model, will train teachers the methods used by Primary Promise specialists in an effort to strengthen their classroom…
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