NRWE Reading Gains Highlighted by Collaborative Classroom

A research brief recently published by Collaborative Classroom highlights the strides that North Rose-Wolcott Elementary students have made in reading in recent years.

In the 2024-25 school year, the percentage of NRWE students in grades 2-4 performing at or above grade level in reading grew by an average of 169% from the beginning of the year to the end. Oral reading fluency benchmarks across grades 1-4 have climbed an average of 15 percentage points since the 2021-22 school year.

The gains reflect a deliberate shift in how reading is taught at NRWE. Starting in the 2020-21 school year, the building moved to a structured, research-based literacy approach used consistently across every grade level, K-4. Students who need additional support receive targeted intervention daily, reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom. Grade-level teams review student data regularly, using the numbers to adjust instruction, and students move in and out of additional support based on their progress.

Beyond test scores, teachers report that students are showing more stamina for reading and writing, more enthusiasm, and richer conversations in the classroom. An increasing number of students are testing out of foundational skills intervention entirely.

“We’re seeing vertical alignment we’ve never seen before,” NRWE Instructional Coach Meagan Pentycofe said in the research brief. “Students are reading earlier, reading at higher levels, and thoroughly enjoying literacy.”

The full research brief can be seen on Collaborative Classroom's website.