By signing this petition, you are saying you agree that Academic Interventionist positions should not be cut, and that a free, equitable education should be provided to all marginalized groups of students enrolled in Evergreen Public Schools.

This letter was sent to the Evergreen Public Schools Board of Directors on March 9, 2023:

Dear Evergreen Public Schools Board of Directors,

In light of the budget reduction recommendations under your review for approval, we respectfully submit our concerns for your consideration.

Our Position: 

The undersigned Academic Interventionists and classroom teachers from Evergreen Public Schools urge the board of directors to seriously reconsider the proposed cut of 20.8 Academic Interventionists by John Boyd and other district administrators because of the detrimental effect it will have on our most vulnerable students. The administration in Evergreen Public Schools has shown blatant disregard for the desire of parents, staff, school leaders, students, and community members to not cut staff and programs that academically benefit students.  Academic Interventionists are classroom teachers, many of whom hold reading endorsements and additional training in the teaching of reading. The plan to cut 20.8 Academic Interventionist positions (which will be several more than 21 teachers when accounting for partial contracts) from a pool of 59 teachers will cause a direct, negative impact on students and seriously deplete the human resources for reading instruction for all elementary schools in this district. 

Impact on Students: 

The decision to cut intervention teachers is reinforcing systems of oppression because it will disproportionately affect students of color, multilingual students, and students with reading disabilities or difficulties. Annually, about 500 students, the overwhelming majority from marginalized groups, will lose critical academic support. When students don't learn how to read by third grade, the evidence points to the exponential likelihood that they will not graduate from high school. “Academic, emotional and social issues abound for children who are poor readers. Children who are behind their peers in reading struggle with low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. Low achievement in reading is also the common denominator in school discipline, attendance and dropout problems, and juvenile crime.” (The Children’s Reading Foundation). Our students deserve to learn how to read regardless of their race, disability status, or primary language, and it is the mission of Evergreen Public Schools “...to eliminate the predictability of outcomes by demographic group.”

Dyslexia Implications: 

Washington state law requires that students be screened for dyslexia in kindergarten, first, and second grades, and it's a lengthy process. In larger elementary schools, this would mean approximately 300 children needing a mandated annual screening test that takes an average of 15 minutes per student to administer and score.  Additional time is needed to analyze other data sources and make recommendations.  Some schools will only have one teacher trained to administer the dyslexia screening test if these cuts are put in place, and this teacher will miss 4-6 weeks of instruction per year just to administer the test. 

We will not be able to serve all students identified as having characteristics of dyslexia–also mandated by the state. So, the district runs the risk of not being in compliance with the dyslexia law by not providing enough trained staff to help students overcome barriers presented by dyslexia.  Although the current reading curriculum being implemented in the district classrooms (if used with fidelity) does address some aspects of phonics instruction, it falls short of the explicit instruction (often provided by academic interventionists) that is needed by approximately 30% of students to learn to read. (EdWeek) 

Most classroom teachers and instructional coaches do not hold reading endorsements nor do they have additional education in reading instruction (and rely on academic interventionists for instructional support and lesson delivery). Not only have academic interventionists invested in their own added skill set, but the district has already invested thousands of dollars into training academic interventionists in proven methods for explicit instruction, such as Orton-Gillingham, that classroom teachers do not have.

Conclusions:

The decision made by Evergreen Public Schools administrators to cut Academic Interventionists from the teaching staff is in direct opposition to the district's commitment to equity and inclusion. In part, the Evergreen Public Schools vision statement reads that it will provide “each member with the opportunity, access, resources, and support they need to be successful.”  Academic Interventionists provide these critical supports, and decreasing those resources by almost half will make it difficult for the school district to deliver on its stated commitment to the community and, most importantly, its students.  Therefore, we strongly urge the district to critically consider this proposed cut to talent and expertise in the area of reading at a time when over 40% of students across the state of Washington are not reading at grade level (OSPI).