Making Progress

Nystrom has focused on evidence-based reading instruction since fall 2021, driven by participation in California's Early Literacy Support Block Grant. This brought schoolwide emphasis on data, explicit instruction, and a Walk to Read model.

In fall 2021, Nystrom implemented DIBELS to measure key literacy skills. DIBELS is now one of California's four approved Universal Screeners and WCCUSD's reading difficulty screener (as of fall 2025).

Nystrom's DIBELS scores have improved since 2021, with the most notable gains visible when tracking student cohorts across multiple years. The chart below follows students from first to fourth grade, showing a 78% decrease in students needing intensive intervention and a 60% increase in students at core or core support levels.

The growth in achievement extends beyond DIBELS. SBAC is California's statewide test that all 3-6 grade student takes.  The graph below shows the increase in profiency for a cohort of students from third to sixth grade, growing from 9% proficiency in third grade to 42% in sixth grade.  

Please note, both of these data points are stable cohort measures, meaning the data above is for students who attended Nystrom for all four years indicated (2021-2025).