Academics

The Mounds View literacy experience is designed to support a range of learners, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to become lifelong readers and writers. Teachers will use research-based strategies and data-driven approaches to ensure students’ continuous growth in literacy. This inclusive approach recognizes that every student has unique strengths and areas for growth.  

To ensure a solid foundation in reading, the Mounds View literacy experience includes comprehensive instruction in the 5 Pillars. Through meaningful writing tasks and activities, students are encouraged to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions effectively. Technology is integrated thoughtfully to support and enhance traditional literacy instruction, providing students with dynamic and interactive learning experiences. 

From 2020 English Language Arts Standards Minnesota Department of Education, pg. 2

The organization and structure of the standards communicate how ELA education is conceptualized for Minnesota students. The standards are organized into three strands:

• Reading – Taking in information from a wide variety of sources through reading, listening, and viewing.
• Writing – Sharing information with a variety of audiences through writing, speaking, and presenting.
• Listening, Speaking, Viewing, and Exchanging Ideas – Communicating and collaborating with others through speaking, listening, and viewing.

Core Resources

• EZ  Write - K-1
• 95 Phonics Core Program
• Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA)

• MN State Standards

95 Phonics Core Program

The 95 Phonics Core Program is our primary tool for teaching students the foundational skills of reading. Think of it as teaching the "how-to" of reading. This program provides explicit  instruction in phonics—the relationship between letters and sounds.

Through daily 30-minute lessons, students learn to:

• Hear and manipulate sounds in words (phonemic awareness).
• Recognize letters and the sounds they make.
• Decode (sound out) words accurately and efficiently.
• Read and write with growing fluency.

As students advance, the program incorporates morphology, teaching them to understand word parts like prefixes, suffixes, and root words. This skill helps them tackle longer, more complex words. This deep understanding of word structure directly supports their spelling development, moving them from simply sounding out words to recognizing established spelling patterns.

This systematic approach ensures there are no gaps in a child's foundational knowledge, setting them up for success as they encounter more complex texts.

Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA)

While phonics teaches students how to read words, Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) helps them understand what they are reading. This comprehensive curriculum builds students' vocabulary and background knowledge by exploring fascinating topics in history, science, literature, and art. 

Students dive deep into knowledge-rich units. For example, a first-grader might spend several weeks learning about Ancient Egypt, while a fourth-grader explores the systems of the human body. 

By learning about the world, students build a mental library of information that makes reading comprehension easier. When they encounter words like "pharaoh" or "circulatory system" in a book, they already have the background knowledge to understand the text. CKLA integrates reading, writing, listening, and speaking, developing well-rounded communicators and thinkers. CKLA also integrates skills in grammar and language usage. These are not taught as separate, isolated rules. Instead, students learn about sentence structure, punctuation, and proper language conventions through the content they are studying. They practice these skills by writing and speaking about the exciting topics they learn, making grammar a practical tool for clear communication.

At Mounds View Public Schools, the math experience ensures that each student has access to high-quality mathematics instruction and understanding. Teachers meet the unique needs of each student by engaging them in critical thinking, problem-solving, and discussion. Students will work collaboratively to persevere when solving complex problems. We are committed to building a strong conceptual foundation so that each student has opportunities at the secondary level to succeed in their chosen math pathway. Each student will see themselves as mathematicians and be able to make mathematical connections to the world in which they live. 

The Minnesota Academic Standards in Mathematics are organized by grade level into four content strands:

• Number and Operation
• Algebra
• Geometry and Measurement
• Data Analysis and Probability

Core Resources 

• Everyday Math 
• MN State Standards

At Mounds View Public Schools, the standards-based science curriculum fosters the natural curiosity children have. Students will ask scientific questions about the world around them and investigate how and why things work the way they do. They will collect and analyze data to construct explanations for what they investigate and experience. Using an inquiry model and hands-on learning, students develop the ability to use science practices to independently explore and investigate scientific phenomena.

The Minnesota Academic Standards in Science are organized by grade level into four strands:

• Exploring phenomena or engineering problems 
• Looking at data and empirical evidence to understand phenomena or solve problems
• Developing possible explanations of phenomena or designing solutions to engineering problems 
• Communicating reasons, arguments, and ideas to others

Core Resources 

• Mystery Science, Star Lab
• MN State Standards  Note - We are implementing the 2020 standards with full implementation in the 2024-2025 school year.

At Mounds View Public Schools, we believe in developing students to become informed citizens who are able to participate in a democratic society. Instruction focuses on inquiry, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication. 

The Minnesota Academic Standards in Social Studies are organized by grade level into four strands:

• Citizenship and government
• Economics
• Geography
• History

Core Resources

• MN State Standards

At Mounds View Public Schools, the visual arts curriculum is delivered through instruction in art and/or music.  It is grounded in MN State Standards and provides students with the opportunity to explore different materials and technical skills. Students will create and share a variety of artwork throughout their time in elementary school.

Students grow as musicians by creating, analyzing, and performing musical pieces from many different cultures while developing their creative potential.  In 4th grade, students may enroll in orchestra. In 5th grade, students may enroll in orchestra and/or band.

From 2018 Arts Standards Minnesota Department of Education:

Artistic literacy, which includes visual and performing arts,  is the ability to combine foundational knowledge and skills in an art form with four processes fundamental to the arts: 

• Creating
• Performing or Presenting
• Responding
• Connecting

Core Resources

• MN State Standards

At Mounds View Public Schools, physical education is an integral part of a child’s education. We believe in promoting social development, mental health, and lifelong physical activity by providing opportunities that emphasize teamwork, personal and team achievement, and character.

The 2018 Standards include grade-level benchmarks for each of the five standards that address:

• Competency in motor skills and movement patterns.
• Application of knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics to movement and performance.
• Demonstration of knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain physical fitness and physical activity.
• Demonstration of responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
• Recognition of the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction.

Core Resources

• MN State Standards

Local Literacy Plan

High Performing Learners

The Mounds View School District Local Literacy Plan ensures that there is a process to assess students’ level of reading proficiency, notify and involve parents, and intervene with students who are not reading at or above grade level. This plan is a systematic approach to provide every Mounds View School District student with science-based literacy instruction and assessments to determine instructional needs and to support professional learning for staff across the district.

Our goal is to have every student read at or above grade level by the end of every year, starting in kindergarten. This plan supports our Equity Promise and ensures that all students have a solid foundation in literacy skills and are college— and career-ready upon graduation. Our equity promise guides us in providing high-quality literacy instruction for each student, including those who have been diagnosed with dyslexia.

What is Dyslexia?

Minnesota Statute 125A.01 states:
" ‘Dyslexia’ means a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition, as well as poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

• Dyslexia is a neurologically based disorder that interferes with the acquisition and processing of language.
• Dyslexia varies in degrees of severity.
• Cognitive ability is not impacted, and intelligence can be in the above to superior range with high    verbal reasoning ability.
• Dyslexia may or may not be accompanied by other learning disabilities, such as dysgraphia, a writing disability, or dyscalculia, a mathematical disability.

How does Mounds View Public Schools identify and address students with reading difficulties, including those with dyslexia?

--READ Act Requirements for K-3 Universal Literacy and Dyslexia Screening

The READ Act requires mandatory screening of every child in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade, including multilingual learners and students receiving special education services, using a screening tool approved by the Department of Education. Screening must be completed three times per year: Fall (within the first six weeks of the school year), Winter (by February 15th each year), and Spring (within the last six weeks of the school year), to measure foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, oral language, and for characteristics of dyslexia. Screening for characteristics of dyslexia may be integrated within universal screening. 

--READ Act Requirements for 4-12 Characteristics of Dyslexia Screening

Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, use of the MDE-approved tool, Capti ReadBasix, is required for students in grades 4-12 who are not reading at or above grade level.

Subtests Required for all students below grade level - Beginning SY25-26

• Word Recognition and Decoding
• Vocabulary
• Morphology
• Reading Efficiency

Beginning SY26-27, students below grade level will take the above four subtests and the following.

• Sentence Processing
• Reading Comprehension

Assessments are intended to identify students who may have characteristics of dyslexia or reading difficulties and also determine focused explicit instruction based on students’ needs.  Students are referred to the reading support team for additional support and instruction in reading. If the student does not show growth, they are referred to the site's student support team to determine the next steps for support. The team includes classroom teachers, administrators, and student support team members who work to address the learning needs of each referred student. 

Dyslexia is a medical diagnosis and alone it does not indicate that students will be eligible for Special Education Services. The performance of students with Dyslexia covers a wide range. Our identification and support plan addresses the needs of each student to ensure they progress towards reading proficiency.
Students with a dyslexia diagnosis must meet state and federal eligibility criteria to qualify for special education services. Here is the link to MDE’s eligibility checklist.

What may help my child in the classroom:

• Explicit direct instruction
• Assistive technology
• Extra time
• Accommodations for homework (amount and/or task)
• Personalizing instruction

What may help my child at home and in the community?

• Reading aloud to your child
• Play word and sound games
• Library programs
• Access to audiobooks

Are there additional resources available?

The documents and links found here are intended to provide a resource for families and staff working together to create rich learning opportunities for students with dyslexia or reading difficulties.

• Link to Families Read Toolkit
• Link to Minnesota Department of Education Dyslexia page