In a sweeping effort to address longstanding academic challenges, Monroe City Schools Superintendent Rev. Sam Moore, III has unveiled an ambitious district-wide focus on improving literacy skills beginning this school year with the goal of getting this year’s first graders on grade level before they reach high school.
This initiative comes in direct response to recent assessment data that revealed significant literacy deficits across many of the district’s schools, particularly those on the city’s Southside.
The Literacy Landscape
Recent assessments paint a stark picture of the district’s literacy challenges. While schools like Lexington, J.S. Clark, and Clara Hall have shown strong performance, many others are struggling in literacy such as:
- Shelling Elementary: 80% of students below basic
- Minnie Ruffin Elementary: 54% below basic
- Cypress Point Elementary: 64% below basic
- Madison Foster Elementary: 66% below basic
These numbers underscore …
