Like staff at most schools in 2020 and 2021, College View Elementary teachers and administrators rallied to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world returned to a new normal, the Colorado school saw student reading levels dip and responded urgently by doubling down on literacy efforts.
Nationwide, 31% of fourth graders performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level on the 2024 reading assessment, marking a decline compared to 2022 and extending a trend that began before the pandemic.
“Our school was the lowest rating coming out of the pandemic and now we are rated a high-performing school,” says Joey Denoncourt, principal at College View Elementary.
This transformation was a significant effort that took the work of administrators, educators, and partners all committed to enhancing the reading experience for students and improving reading performance. “In addition to systematically integrating the science of reading, we presented opportunities for students to exercise agency through partnerships, like our collaboration with Book Trust. We were able to gain some ground and combat the learning loss students experienced,” explains Joey.
Book Trust’s focus on book access and book choice is highly valued by the school. “Book Trust brings the student lens, student voice and book ownership to reading,” shares Joey, “the kids love it!”
Teachers at College View also appreciate the program’s ease and flexibility. Some teachers print Book Trust flyers enabling younger students to circle the books they want to read and own. Other teachers use an online platform to make Book Trust book choices a digital activity.
“It’s fun to see kids learn how to read and be excited to buy their own books and show off their skills. Then as they get older, we see them choose books about things they want to learn more about,” explains Joey.
Book Trust is proud to support students as they become independent readers and learners.
