Key Points
- Wilton students in grades K-5 posted gains on reading and literacy assessments during the first year of the district’s new EL Education curriculum.
- School officials plan to expand the program to sixth grade next year, with some seventh-grade teachers interested in piloting elements of it as well.
- The curriculum change was part of Connecticut’s statewide push to align literacy instruction with the science of reading.
Why It Matters: Wilton schools are seeing early academic results from a major state-driven curriculum shift that required significant changes in classroom instruction and teacher training. The district’s decision to expand the program suggests educators believe the approach is helping improve student literacy outcomes
School officials reported to the Board of Education that they are so pleased with how K-5 students are responding to its recently-adopted EL Education reading and language arts curriculum that they will be expanding the program to sixth graders next school year, with seventh grade staff expressing interest in piloting the program to some degree as well.
Connecticut has required districts to align literacy instruction with the science of reading, which is what prompted Wilton to make its curriculum shift for elementary grades in the 2024-2025 school year.
Wilton Public Schools K-8 Humanities Curriculum Coordinator Karen Brenneke said success breeds enthusiasm and, according to the test results, there has been plenty of success with the implemented changes to the district’s English Language Arts program curriculum.
“Today’s data demonstrates that when we prioritize a culture of professional challenge, administrative support, and mutual trust, students flourish,” Brenneke told the Board of Education at its regular meeting last Thursday, Jun. 4.
She said the district is closing out its first year of implementation in kindergarten through 5th grade, which is a year ahead of schedule.
Students are assessed three times a year using NWEA MAP, or Measures of Academic Progress, to measure student growth in specific subjects. Younger students are also assessed through DIBELS, or Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills.
“This year was about mastering structured literacy frameworks and shifting daily instructional practices,” Brenneke said. “Because our primary teachers leaned into the steep learning curve, we are seeing massive foundational health across the district.”
According to Brenneke, the district’s kindergarten students finished spring 2026 with 77% of students at or above the district’s adopted NWEA MAP benchmark of the 61st percentile, including 80% proficiency in vocabulary use and functions. Additionally, “81% of our kindergarten students secured DIBELS composite scores at or above grade level which is higher than we have seen,” she said.
First grade students reached 88% at or above the 61st percentile on NWEA MAP, with foundational skills at 85% and vocabulary at 80%, which Brenneke called “exceptionally strong” and “impressive.” On DIBELS, 91% of first graders achieved a composite score at or above grade level, “which is phenomenal,” she said.
In second grade, 90% of students took a more rigorous MAP assessment this spring, and 75% scoring at or above the 61st percentile on that assessment that they read themselves. Brenneke said 87% of second graders also secured DIBELS composite scores at or above grade level..
“We’re very excited to see how they enter third grade now that they’ve had experience in that assessment,” Brenneke told the board. “They won’t see that cliff that we have historically seen.”
She was pleased with the overall performance of students at Miller-Driscoll. “We have lots of bright spots throughout all of these grades,” Brenneke said.
Students in grades 3-5 also showed positive results, according Brenneke. In third grade, 71% of students performed at or above the 61st percentile, up from 67% for last spring’s third grade cohort. In fourth grade, 80% of students scored above the benchmark.
“As fourth graders, these same students are performing a massive 11 points higher than they did at the end of third grade,” Brenneke said. “So, it may be taking us a little more time in the transition to secure the learning, but we are getting the job done.”
Fifth grade students sustained achievement at 74% at or above the 61st percentile, she said.
Brenneke also pointed to individual classroom-level growth at Cider Mill, where she said some classrooms are already exceeding the district’s 85% threshold.
“In grade four, two classrooms saw up to 95.2% of their students meet or exceed individual growth projections, achieving up to 208.8% of the targeted growth for their class. This is more than two years worth of growth for that cohort of students,” Brenneke said.
Despite the positive results, Brenneke said one area of focus will be helping students build stamina and independence rather than intervening too quickly when they encounter difficulty.
“So as we move forward with our upcoming professional work, we’ll be focused on intentionally shifting the cognitive lift back to students building their stamina that they need to apply these skills entirely independently and applying scaffolds or support when the learner indicates that they’re needed to be successful,” Brenneke said.
Board Chair Ruth DeLuca said she was encouraged by the results and by the district’s implementation process.
“I’ve been along for this ride from the beginning. So, I know that there’s been fits and starts and ups and downs and it is a different philosophical approach,” DeLuca said. “I just am so heartened to see that we’re adjusting in a way that both kids and staff are thriving and growing and that we have persevered and had patience and humility along the way.”
