“I teach all the subjects,” said one teacher, according to the report. “I have students with Autism, ADHD, with IEPs. And I’m supposed to be creating literacy curriculum? The district says they trust me, but I’m not an expert curriculum writer, or a literacy expert. I feel like I’m on my own.”
“My first year here, I was in shock. I’ve never taught in a district where there was so little structure or guidance,” said another.
Winchester commissioned the report earlier this year in response to mounting community pressure for a review. That pressure was spurred, in part, by a January Globe investigation into how Boston’s suburban districts are teaching children to read. Winchester was among several districts using a reading curriculum the state education department calls “low-quality” for relying on outdated teaching methods, the Globe found.
Though Winchester’s overall reading achievement beats state averages, its marginalized students — which includes those who are low-income, have disabilities or are learni