Literacy enrichment experiences 2025-26

[Anonymous]

So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't seen anything from the school beyond a CKLA info sheet that came home in their folder.

Same! It came home yesterday. We still never were informed about what model that school chose (without any family input) for enrichment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

Is this for all schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

Does every school offer this (and have an enriched literacy teacher?) My kid is at a fairly small ES and I've heard about none of this. Perhaps my kid wasn't cohorted for this, but has strong MAP-R tests so I doubt it.

No. Most schools selected Model 2, which is not cohorted. Teachers are supposed to provide enrichment while also meeting the needs of kids who are below grade level. It's a recipe for failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

There is a different pacing calendar for Model 1 schools. It skips all the pausing points, so that is probably what is stressing out the teacher. If a kid falls behind, there isn't really a way to catch back up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have Back to School Night this week, any suggestions on what to ask the enriched literacy teacher? (Cohorted model at our school)

I'm particularly curious to hear about what some of the most-liked projects/readings/components were for last year's ELC 4th graders so I can ask specifically whether any of those are expected to be included this year as add-ons-- hoping to give my bored/annoyed kid some hope that there might be some fun and engaging stuff coming up.

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

Does every school offer this (and have an enriched literacy teacher?) My kid is at a fairly small ES and I've heard about none of this. Perhaps my kid wasn't cohorted for this, but has strong MAP-R tests so I doubt it.

I don’t think they necessarily do if there are not enough students who qualified to make a full class. However, at our school, the ELC class was bigger than the average class size, so pulling them out actually made for smaller instructional sizes for the other classes. But this year it’s a totally different experience so far. Still waiting for the actual books they said they will read during WIN time (and even information on when WIN time will start).

Even schools that do have enough students for a full class are selecting Model 2. Only a handful of schools went with the cohorted approach (Model 1).

If your school didn't tell you which model it chose, it's surely Model 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like the Model 1 cohorted 4th grade class is supposed to get one extra unit, Treasure Island. Although it sounds like there is not specific guidance about how to move faster to fit it in-- the teacher seemed a bit stressed about that.

Also I guess there will be novel studies during the FIT block, starting next week. I believe the first book is Hello Universe.

There is a different pacing calendar for Model 1 schools. It skips all the pausing points, so that is probably what is stressing out the teacher. If a kid falls behind, there isn't really a way to catch back up.

Have you seen the pacing calendar and other materials from MCPS for enriched literacy? If so, can you share if there is anything else that will be added besides the extra CKLA unit and the novel studies? I would be very grateful!

[Anonymous]

Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

[Anonymous]

The refrigerator curriculum would be a good place to start questions and inquiry with teachers and your school about the difference

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/refrigerator/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

I mean, yes for this year I am really mad at our administration. I was very vocal about wanting ELC for my child and so did every other parent. The reason they didn’t is that ELC students didn’t take the CKLA assessments and so the scores for 4th and 5th grade were terrible. They didn’t want another year of that.

But after this year, the option isn’t available, which is stupid. Just stupid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

I mean, yes for this year I am really mad at our administration. I was very vocal about wanting ELC for my child and so did every other parent. The reason they didn’t is that ELC students didn’t take the CKLA assessments and so the scores for 4th and 5th grade were terrible. They didn’t want another year of that.

But after this year, the option isn’t available, which is stupid. Just stupid

Do you mean that ELC students DID take the CKLA assessments? Because at least wuth Benchmark they were required to take the assessments (as were CRS students).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

I mean, yes for this year I am really mad at our administration. I was very vocal about wanting ELC for my child and so did every other parent. The reason they didn’t is that ELC students didn’t take the CKLA assessments and so the scores for 4th and 5th grade were terrible. They didn’t want another year of that.

But after this year, the option isn’t available, which is stupid. Just stupid

Are you upset because they stopped cohorting or upset because they dropped the ELC curriculum and you liked it? If it's the latter, what are the things you liked most about the ELC curriculum that you are sorry to lose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

I mean, yes for this year I am really mad at our administration. I was very vocal about wanting ELC for my child and so did every other parent. The reason they didn’t is that ELC students didn’t take the CKLA assessments and so the scores for 4th and 5th grade were terrible. They didn’t want another year of that.

But after this year, the option isn’t available, which is stupid. Just stupid

Are you upset because they stopped cohorting or upset because they dropped the ELC curriculum and you liked it? If it's the latter, what are the things you liked most about the ELC curriculum that you are sorry to lose?

Our principal said last year ELC students did not take the CKLA module assessments, and the grade level scores reflected that. This year, I believe they were going to be required to take the CKLA assessments and the principal was worried they would not do well if they had not followed that curriculum. Literally, that’s the reason not that they think curriculum is better, just the testing. That could all be incorrect. That’s just what our principal told us but she’s been wrong other times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

I mean, yes for this year I am really mad at our administration. I was very vocal about wanting ELC for my child and so did every other parent. The reason they didn’t is that ELC students didn’t take the CKLA assessments and so the scores for 4th and 5th grade were terrible. They didn’t want another year of that.

But after this year, the option isn’t available, which is stupid. Just stupid

Are you upset because they stopped cohorting or upset because they dropped the ELC curriculum and you liked it? If it's the latter, what are the things you liked most about the ELC curriculum that you are sorry to lose?

My child is still cohorted, but the new curriculum is clearly inferior. Our 4th grade teacher shared my opinion, and LOVED ELC. I have already described what was better previously:

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

The ELC curriculum was amazing. Reading full books and using those as the basis for the actual curriculum and not just an add on is a totally different approach than the little snippets they read in CKLA. Last year my child wrote a personal narrative, but in long form, with multiple drafts and discussions about how to revise. They read memoirs of authors and also a book by the same author and discussed those influences along with writing their own narrative. This year they are starting with personal narratives but it just consists of answering prompts about themselves in a couple sentences and listening to some short stories that are definitely not winning any awards. It’s a night and day difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools were allowed to continue ELC for the 5th graders who were in the program last year - so sounds like for 5th grade parents, it's a question for your elementary school leadership about whether they opted in or not.

I mean, yes for this year I am really mad at our administration. I was very vocal about wanting ELC for my child and so did every other parent. The reason they didn’t is that ELC students didn’t take the CKLA assessments and so the scores for 4th and 5th grade were terrible. They didn’t want another year of that.

But after this year, the option isn’t available, which is stupid. Just stupid

Are you upset because they stopped cohorting or upset because they dropped the ELC curriculum and you liked it? If it's the latter, what are the things you liked most about the ELC curriculum that you are sorry to lose?

My child is still cohorted, but the new curriculum is clearly inferior. Our 4th grade teacher shared my opinion, and LOVED ELC. I have already described what was better previously:

Longer form writing, meaningful discussion about significant texts, actual literary analysis. My child described the “assessment” they had to take after their most recent reading assignment and it was poorly designed and based purely on the content of assignment. It sounds worse than what my younger child is experiencing in CKLA, honestly.

The ELC curriculum was amazing. Reading full books and using those as the basis for the actual curriculum and not just an add on is a totally different approach than the little snippets they read in CKLA. Last year my child wrote a personal narrative, but in long form, with multiple drafts and discussions about how to revise. They read memoirs of authors and also a book by the same author and discussed those influences along with writing their own narrative. This year they are starting with personal narratives but it just consists of answering prompts about themselves in a couple sentences and listening to some short stories that are definitely not winning any awards. It’s a night and day difference.

Oh, you're that PP, sorry for the repetitive question!

FWIW, my daughter's teacher mentioned something about the 4th graders in enriched literacy reading an author's autobiography and a book by the author as well this year-- I think she said it was a William and Mary unit or something like that? Not sure if it is during the ELA block or during FIT time.