How one California district invested its Covid funds in literacy, boosting student achievement — and morale

"Lockeford Elementary, a 500-student K-eight school, spent Covid funds for SIPPS books, flashcards and other materials, as well as training for teachers. It’s now used in all kindergarten through third grade classrooms as well as after-school programs. Principal Michael Rogers said the impact was almost immediate. Reading scores soared – in the beginning of the year, only 18% of first graders were proficient or advanced in reading, but by midyear, 44% were. Among kindergartners, the percentage of students who were proficient or advanced nearly doubled."