Urban Public School
Grades 1-2 • NEW YORK
Student Demographics
Title I School
94% of students are eligible for free and reduced lunch
32% Limited English Proficiency
25% Students with Disabilities
19% Homeless
Demonstrated Effectiveness
Across 40 hours of professional learning, the learning specialist supported educators in using assessment data to drive differentiated instruction and form flexible small groups based on decoding, fluency, and comprehension needs. Teachers learned to deliver engaging, research-based small group lessons aligned with skill progressions and use effective modeling practices, as well as how to scaffold strategies to ensure appropriate support for all learners. End- of-year 2024–2025 data show strong literacy gains in Grades 1 and 2, with first graders growing +31.55 points and second graders +66.11 on Acadience Reading.
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[Our literacy specialist] provided useful feedback and modeled when asked to, which was very helpful. Because of this support, I was able to provide my students with the support that was needed and challenge those who were ready.
— Teacher
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Our literacy specialist is very informative, and her approach to teaching reading and writing is explicit and simple. When she models, she is right to the point and makes it look so easy.
— Teacher
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Our literacy specialist is very supportive of our work and realistic in terms of goals that we set. She offered practical suggestions that we are implementing.
