"SFA is accessible. SFA is simple, yet focused. And in every classroom, students are actively learning."
Trinity Valley Elementary, located in the Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District of California, adopted Success for All in 2020 and has since seen remarkable outcomes, especially with students that participate in SFA Tutoring.
Prior to implementing SFA, Trinity Valley Elementary faced challenges in maintaining a consistent schedule and utilizing a curriculum that was over two decades old. Teachers had to pick and choose teaching materials because parts of the previous curriculum were no longer available for purchase due to its age. This made it challenging to establish a structured and familiar learning environment for both teachers and students.
Trinity Valley Elementary, along with other schools within their district, made a deliberate choice to adopt a research proven program and after thorough investigation decided on SFA. As part of SFA, they began structured, intentional tutoring for students in grades 1–6, with 44 below-level readers in the tutoring program. While the transition from their previous program to SFA may have been challenging in the first year, their unwavering determination and commitment to the implementation process ultimately brought great success. Sarah Owens the SFA facilitator at Trinity Valley mentioned that, "SFA is accessible. SFA is simple, yet focused. In every classroom, students are actively learning."
Results
Following two years of implementing SFA, Trinity Valley Elementary has witnessed remarkable results and received positive feedback from both teachers and students. The implementation of a consistent routine has made the school day more familiar, resulting in significant growth in student learning and positive behavioral changes. In addition, students in SFA Tutoring have flourished. SFA Facilitator Sarah Owens, said, "In my 28 years of teaching, there are always kids who just don't get it, and no matter what we do, they don't seem to progress. It breaks your heart to see these students struggle with reading. So, it was tremendously exciting to see specific students who had previously struggled to make progress and, after being placed in the appropriate reading level, fill in all the missing gaps they had." Two particular success stories that stand out are the stories of Roscoe and Madeline:
Roscoe's Story
Roscoe is a lively student who had a hard time when it came to reading. The school decided to put him in SFA Tutoring. In the beginning, he struggled, but when it finally clicked he was able to grow 4 months in 3 weeks.
Madeline's Story
Madeline is described as “a sweetheart” who loved vocabulary but struggled with reading. After doing SFA Tutoring for 6 months she grew 2.4 years in 6 months’ time, and her tutoring partner grew 1.4 years.