MO School District Rolls Out New Phonics-Focused Curriculum
By Cheryl Conway
With the new Return to Phonics program in the Mt. Olive School District, students will get a boost with spelling, writing, reading, grammar and more practice with their handwriting, including cursive, which for many students has been a lost art during the past decade.
The district rolled out a newly revised K-5 English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum this September which integrates daily phonics and word study lessons aligned with the Science of Reading. The new standards link reading and writing to build strong language skills that boost comprehension and communication.
“This is not just about bringing phonics back,” stresses Mt. Olive School District Superintendent Dr. Sumit Bangia. “It’s about elevating literacy instruction across the district so that every student develops the strong foundational skills needed for success in the upper grades.
“Word study is one essential piece of a larger commitment: Vocabulary, comprehension, writing and critical thinking remain equally important within Mt. Olive’s comprehensive literacy framework,” she says. “By aligning with the updated standards and the dyslexia mandate, this approach ensures that all students at every level receive the explicit, systematic instruction they need to thrive.”
The revised program is fully aligned to the Science of Reading and the expanded 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) language standards, which now go beyond reading to include writing, grammar, conventions and spelling.
“Unlike prior standards that focused more narrowly on decoding, the updated expectations emphasize the integration of reading and writing, ensuring students build a complete command of language that supports comprehension, communication and long-term academic success,” notes Bangia.
“As part of Mt. Olive’s focus on the return to phonics, curriculum development centered on the language standards within the 2023 NJSLS and word study,” she continues. “The word study component of the curriculum is an explicit, systematic, and research-based approach that builds students’ skills in decoding, spelling, writing and fluency. It is aligned to the Science of Reading and the expanded 2023 NJSLS, which now emphasize the integration of decoding and encoding, along with grammar and conventions.
In response to these standards, the curriculum follows a clear sequence across K–5. In grades K–3, instruction focuses on phonological awareness, phonics, spelling, grammar and conventions. In grades 4–5, it shifts to morphology, spelling, grammar and conventions, ensuring students build consistently from year to year and develop a complete command of language.
The word study component of the ELA curriculum will be implemented districtwide in grades K–5 across all four elementary schools, notes Bangia.
“This ensures that every student has consistent access to explicit foundational skills instruction as part of Mt. Olive’s comprehensive literacy framework,” she says.
“Phonics has always been part of Mt. Olive’s literacy instruction,” she emphasizes. “What is new in this revised curriculum is the way it aligns directly to the 2023 NJSLS and the Science of Reading. The Language standards now place greater emphasis on phonological awareness in grades K–2, morphology in grades 3–5, and grammar, conventions, and spelling across all grade levels. This refined approach ensures that foundational skills are taught systematically and explicitly as part of a comprehensive literacy framework, giving students the full range of tools they need to read, write and communicate effectively.”
This initiative grew out of several important priorities.
“The 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Standards now place a stronger emphasis on foundational reading and writing skills, and the state’s new dyslexia legislation requires schools to provide early screening and evidence-based instruction,” she explains. “At the same time, Mt. Olive has committed to a “back to basics” vision to strengthen students’ core literacy skills.
“To make sure the curriculum truly met these needs, the district brought together a committee of 33 teachers representing all four elementary schools, every grade level, as well as special educators and multilingual specialists,” details Bangia. “This group carefully reviewed the state mandates and gave recommendations for curriculum development. Based on their input, the district adopted a new core resource to support instruction. A team of Mt. Olive teachers then served as curriculum writers to design and align the revised K–5 ELA curriculum.
“The result is a curriculum and resource that is research-based, teacher-informed, and designed for Mt. Olive students.”
Implementation of the revised curriculum began last month with all K-5 teachers who will receive ongoing professional development and coaching to support strong implementation and continued growth, shares Bangia.
“The curriculum provides teachers with a clear, consistent structure aligned with both research and state standards,” she says. “It includes high-quality lessons and resources that make it easier to plan, teach, and assess word study, while also ensuring consistency across classrooms so every student benefits from the same strong foundation.”
Implementation will include daily word study lessons in K–5 classrooms, aligned to the Science of Reading and the 2023 NJSLS. Word study instruction is fully integrated with Benchmark Advance, the district’s core reading resource, and i-Ready, which provides universal literacy screening and progress monitoring.
As for cost, MOTSD invested in Benchmark Advance teacher resources, student materials, and professional learning, says Bangia.
“Funding was allocated through the district curriculum budget, with support from the business office to ensure long-term sustainability,” she says.
Worth the extra cost as it is the students who will benefit the most.
“The word study component provides systematic and explicit instruction that helps students build strong decoding, spelling and writing skills,” notes Bangia. “The updated state standards are now broader in scope and span all of K–5, ensuring students receive consistent instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, morphology, grammar and spelling. Because the curriculum is carefully sequenced, skills are built upon year after year, giving students a consistent learning experience across grade levels and a strong foundation for fluent reading and confident writing.”
Developing their penmanship skills also comes into play.
The updated program transitions students from print handwriting lessons embedded into the curriculum; to print to cursive by middle of grade two; to continue cursive practice through fifth grade.
“This ensures students receive consistent, developmentally appropriate handwriting instruction throughout the elementary grades,” notes Bangia.
At the end of the day, students will become stronger readers and writers and teachers will be better equipped to provide support to all their learners.
“It is structured, systematic and engaging for students, while also being straightforward for teachers to implement with fidelity,” concludes Bangia. “It reflects the shift in the N.J. Student Learning Standards and the requirements of the state dyslexia mandate, both of which prioritize strong reading foundations. The curriculum and resource also support tiered instruction, giving teachers the tools to address the needs of all learners, whether they require extra support, on-level practice, or enrichment.”
