How Central Lee Transformed Literacy in One Year
Outpacing the State
Central Lee Elementary School increased ELA proficiency by more than 14 percentage points from spring 2024 to spring 2025, following implementation of The Literacy Portfolio by i-Ready.
Overview
The Science of Reading in Action
Central Lee CSD in rural Iowa transformed literacy outcomes in a single school year by shifting from 15 years of guided reading to a structured, Science of Reading-aligned approach. After adopting The Literacy Portfolio—with Magnetic Foundations and Magnetic Comprehension—Central Lee Elementary increased ELA proficiency, saw student groups outpace the state, and earned a 2025 ESSA rating of Commendable.
- District:Central Lee Community School District
- Subject:Literacy
- Grade:K–5
- Topic:Academic Achievement, Early Literacy, Implementation and Practice, Reading Comprehension, Science of Reading