Mansfield Reading Program Making Lasting Gains

The Robinson Elementary School grade 2 literacy program is integral to future academic ventures, according to reading specialist Jennifer Fleischmann.

The program prepares students for their first MCAS test in the next grade.

“80 percent [of Mansfield second graders] should be reading,” she said. “We could never do that before, but since the new program was put in place four years ago we are above that.”

Fleischman said that if a student does not become proficient in reading by grade 5, he or she would probably never learn to read at a standardized level and will most likely need extra help in the coming years.

Fleischmann said that the grade progress on the literacy exam, in other words the progression of proficient readers in grade 2 since the start of the program in 2008 has passed their expectations  and also have a direct correlation in English Language Arts (ELA) MCAS scores later in their career.

“When these kids take the MCAS next year, 82 percent of them are in really good shape to be proficient or advanced,” she said.

Brenda Hodges said that, in conjunction with new math programs the district has put in, Mansfield students are consistently raising the bar.

“It’s extremely validating,” she said. “It is a lot of money to purchase a program.”