Instructional Leadership

At Elkhart Community Schools, the Department of Instructional Leadership guides academic programming, including special programs, federally funded programs, literacy initiatives, libraries, professional learning for staff, and the development of classroom curriculum and tools.

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Curriculum
Dyslexia

Curriculum

Elkhart Community Schools offers a guaranteed and viable curriculum to ensure that all students have the learning opportunities needed to be prepared for the next grade level and, ultimately, successful in their post-graduation college or career endeavors.

Research-based best practices are utilized during instruction to provide students with rigorous and engaging learning experiences that foster critical thinking, skill development, and deep content knowledge. Programs are available at all levels to accommodate the needs and interests of our most advanced learners, those who need extra support to be successful, and all learners in between. Robust curricula, knowledgeable and effective teachers, a positive learning environment, and a culture of continuous improvement equip students to meet the challenges of living in an ever-changing world.

Learn more about our standards and performance

Elkhart Community Schools’ curriculum is based on the Indiana Academic Standards and is aligned with guidance from the Indiana Department of Education.

View Indiana Academic Standards View Elkhart Community Schools Report Card

Dyslexia

Indiana law IC 20-35.5, et seq., as created by SEA 217 (2018), states that Indiana school corporations and charter schools' reading plans must now include screening for dyslexia risk factors and indicators. If a student is determined to be at risk for dyslexia, the school will administer an additional dyslexia screener, which will identify whether or not the student needs to be referred for further testing. It also requires schools to use specific response to intervention processes if screeners indicate certain characteristics of dyslexia are present.

Dyslexia as defined by IC 20-18-2-3.5 is a specific learning disability that:
- Is neurological in origin and characterized by:
  - Difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition.
  - Poor spelling and decoding abilities.
- Typically results 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.
- May include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
- May require the provision of special education services after an eligibility determination is made in accordance with 511 IAC 7-40.
In accordance with IC-20-35.5-6-2, Elkhart Community Schools is identifying an authorized reading specialist trained in dyslexia.
In accordance with this law, each school corporation and charter school shall report on its website the following information:
- What intervention programs are used to assist students with characteristics of dyslexia? Dyslexia intervention programs must have explicit direction and instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative. Instruction should follow a logical plan of presenting the alphabetic principle, target specific needs of the student without presuming prior skills, and use meaning-based instruction aimed at purposeful reading and writing. Instruction should incorporate the simultaneous use of two or more sensory pathways during both presentation and practice. The dyslexia program must be research-based and support all five components of literacy. Elkhart Community Schools employs a variety of dyslexia intervention programs to meet the diverse needs of our learners, including Wilson Fundations, Wilson Just Words, and the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum. These methods and strategies are used during Tier 1 interventions and small group instruction.
- How many students were identified with dyslexia during the 2024–25 school year? School systems are not diagnosing dyslexia, but focus on identifying and supporting students with characteristics of dyslexia. Required screeners, professional development, and interventions will continue to maximize learning in Elkhart Community Schools. This year, 239 K–2 grade students were flagged on the universal screener and recommended for more in-depth screening.