Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Alberto Carvalho defended changes to the Primary Promise intervention program, expanding its focus beyond helping struggling K-2 readers to reaching older students and training more teachers.

Carvalho detailed the plan at a Tuesday board meeting after facing criticism for dismantling the flagship initiative of his predecessor, Austin Beutner, earlier this year, as the Los Angeles Times reported. Board member Nick Melvoin said that the public could not be blamed for feeling “whiplash” over a program that was first lauded but later criticized.

Administrators explained that they are simultaneously expanding services and cutting costs. Notably, the revamped approach, the Literacy and Numeracy Intervention Model, will reach older students instead of stopping at third grade. They also acknowledged that fewer elementary schools would have intervention services but that services to students of all ages would improve. Click here to read more: https://edsource.org/updates/carvalho-says-replacing-primary-promise-will-do-more-for-lausd-for-less-money