How One Ohio District Reversed English-Learner Literacy Declines After Pandemic
Breaking: Troy City Schools Reports Major Literacy Gains for English Learners
A public school district in Ohio has achieved significant improvements in literacy among its English-language learners by training over 100 staff members in a multi-sensory reading approach. Troy City Schools, located north of Cincinnati, trained 116 educators—including every elementary teacher, intervention specialist, paraprofessional, and principal—in the Orton-Gillingham method. The district says the initiative is closing literacy gaps that widened during the pandemic.
Key Facts
- The district serves 4,000 students; roughly 3% are English learners speaking Spanish, Ukrainian, or Japanese—compared with a national average of 11%.
- Staff trained in Orton-Gillingham, which integrates movement and touch into reading instruction.
- Funding came from post-COVID relief grants and district budget allocations.
The area is home to an automotive manufacturer that brings employees and their families from Japan, contributing to the multilingual population. Though small in number, these English learners are making big gains, according to district officials.
‘We Want to Help Students Continue to Thrive’
Sarah Walters, a literacy instructional support specialist, recalled the challenges before the intervention. “We were seeing a lot of student frustration and wanting to give up. Students being very withdrawn, those social-emotional impacts,” she said. Walters became certified in Orton-Gillingham through the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education and now trains other teachers.
Danielle Romine, director of elementary teaching and learning, noted that the district deliberated for three years before securing funding. “The effort was funded through post-COVID relief grants and budget allocations made by the district’s leaders,” Romine said. The program launched after the pandemic exacerbated existing literacy gaps.
Background: Pandemic Widened Gaps for English Learners
Federal data show English learners’ achievement scores have lagged behind their peers for two decades, with little improvement. The pandemic made the situation worse, especially for students at Concord Elementary in Troy. Phonics—the letter sounds that form words—was a major hurdle. Before the intervention, English-language instruction was inconsistent and fragmented across classrooms.
“We want to help the students continue to thrive, and really everything that we’re thinking about with our student services is equitable learning opportunities,” Walters said. The district’s move toward equity included training all elementary staff in the Orton-Gillingham approach, which uses visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways to reinforce learning.
What This Means for Other Districts
The Troy City Schools case demonstrates that targeted, multi-sensory literacy instruction can reverse pandemic-related learning losses among multilingual students. Experts say the Orton-Gillingham method, originally designed for students with dyslexia, benefits all early readers. The district’s investment in professional development for every teacher—not just ESL specialists—ensures consistent support across classrooms.
As schools nationwide struggle to close achievement gaps, Troy’s model offers a replicable strategy. “The foundation that they lay in reading and math will affect their learning from that point on,” Walters said. For English learners, that foundation is critical. The district plans to continue monitoring progress and expanding the approach to other grade levels.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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