Snyder ISD’s push to increase reading proficiency doesn’t just include students, or the school year, for that matter.
Student reading scores on state tests have long been a problem area for the school district. In response, officials have launched a year-round push to instill a love of reading not just in students, but throughout the community.
Dr. Rachael McClain, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Snyder ISD, has long contended that reading is a cornerstone skill — without strong reading skills, students invariably fall behind in other classes, as well.
“We know we have reading performance issues,” McClain said. “So, this summer, we did a complete overhaul of what we are trying to accomplish as a school district. We want our students to learn to love reading.”
Snyder’s efforts won’t be solely directed at improving reading scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests, but to entice students to enjoy reading for reading’s sake.
“Students will be learning STAAR material, for sure, but the point of our process is to instill in our students a love a reading,” McClain said.
Preliminary assessments conducted by Snyder ISD show that reading scores still lag behind state averages, but McClain is confident the extra push will soon show dividends.
“We’re very pleased with what we’re seeing at the elementary grade levels,” she said. “Our assessments show the students are reading at a higher level than they were this time last year. At the secondary level, we’re also seeing increases in almost all areas, although there are some concerns. High school scores are not where we want them to be.”
Snyder’s reading efforts are not being confined to the classroom.
In the next few weeks, McClain will roll out details of the Read to Succeed program, which seeks to include parents and other family members, community leaders and others in an effort to increase recreational reading in the community.
That effort will include an online book club, which will allow readers to discuss books they have read.
Another effort will be spearheaded by the “STEM Bookmobile,” which McClain describes as a “tricked out” school bus that, under the direction of Ryan Maney, will bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) books and projects to neighborhoods in Snyder this summer.
“We will take the bookmobile into different neighborhoods to give students there more access to STEM materials than they would normally get in the classrooms,” McClain said.
More details on the Read to Succeed Program and the STEM Bookmobile will be released in the coming weeks, McClain said.
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