IMSE Case Study: Aligned Instruction Drives Success for Multilingual Learners

Publication: Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) | Published: May 2026

Location Focus: Troy City Schools (Western Ohio)

Serving over 3,600 students across 7 schools, Troy City Schools supports English Learners speaking 30 different native languages, including Japanese, Spanish, Russian, and Gujarati.

Key Highlights & District Data

• District-Wide Alignment: Troy City Schools partnered with IMSE to implement a Structured Literacy framework grounded in the Orton-Gillingham (OG+) approach. Over 100 educators have been trained, aligning general education, intervention, and EL instruction across all settings.

• 100% Benchmark at Hook Elementary: By Spring 2026, 100% of Hook Elementary kindergarteners reached or exceeded the benchmark in Letter Sound Fluency, with zero students remaining well below.

• Huge Fluency Gains: Second-grade Pseudoword Decoding Fluency at Hook Elementary surged from 48.7% to 81.6% (a +32.9% gain in one year).

• Reading Progress at Kyle Elementary: First-grade Oral Reading Fluency at Kyle Elementary climbed from 43.5% to 68.9% (a +25.4% gain in one year).

"That is the biggest thing that I see. IMSE gives them so much more confidence. They're not afraid to speak anymore. It's been a game changer for a lot of kids."

— Wendy Grimm, EL Teacher at Troy City Schools

 

"We're all speaking the same language now. When our teams come together, we can share what's working and what we're seeing across classrooms."

— Sarah Walters, Instructional Support Specialist & Level 4 IMSE OG+ Master Instructor

 

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Spectrum News 1: Ohio School District Uses Unique Training to Close Literacy Gaps

Media Outlet: Spectrum News 1 | Published: May 11, 2026 | Reporter: Alese Underwood

Location: Troy, Ohio

First-grade teacher Jenna Myers reads an Orton-Gillingham decodable book with student Kaylee during a Spectrum News 1 feature story.

Key Highlights from the News Feature

• Supporting a Growing Multilingual Community: With global industries expanding in Western Ohio, Troy City Schools supports 150 English Language Learners representing over 30 languages—including Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Ukrainian.

• Unprecedented Staff Training: District leadership secured grants to train 116 staff members in IMSE Orton-Gillingham Plus (OG+) methodology, replacing fragmented instruction with a unified, science-of-reading approach.

• Hands-On Learning: Students engage with multisensory techniques—hearing, seeing, and touching sounds—supported by fiction and non-fiction decodable books tailored to each phonics concept.

• Closing the Gap: Thanks to early intervention, the district is seeing nearly all students master kindergarten literacy concepts, leaving only slim margins below grade level by the end of the school year.

"The way we taught in the past was very different, very fragmented... Nothing was coherent. The training that we have conducted in our district is unprecedented."

— Danielle Romine, Director of Teaching and Learning & Sarah Walters, Literacy Instructional Support Specialist

 

"What is incredible is we are seeing our students come in at a range of levels, but by the time they end kindergarten, they are mastering the concepts that they need..."

— Sarah Walters, Literacy Instructional Support Specialist

 

Watch & Read the Full Feature

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In the Spotlight: Setting the Standard in Elementary Education

IMSE Article: Equitable Literacy for Every Learner — A Districtwide Approach to EL Literacy Success

Publication: Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE Journal) | Published: May 15, 2026

Location: Troy City Schools (Ohio)

English learners in Troy City Schools engage in multisensory literacy instruction using IMSE's Orton-Gillingham+ framework to master foundational sounds and complex vocabulary.

Key Highlights from the Article

• Targeted Mastery in Months: Vowel sounds—which used to be a year-long struggle for English learners—are now being mastered by students in just a quarter of the school year using the IMSE OG+ methodology.

• Highest Literacy Rates in District History: After a post-pandemic drop to 56.5%, Troy’s third-grade ELA proficiency surged to 81.1% in 2023–24, marking the highest performance levels in district history.

• Expanding into Morphology: As students master core phonics, the district is expanding teacher training into Morphology+ (prefixes, suffixes, and root words) to help students analyze complex vocabulary and build connections to their home languages.

• Elevating Student Confidence: Structured routines have transformed hesitant readers into active, confident participants who independently decode new words and ask deeper questions about text.

"Before IMSE's OG+, vowel sounds were something students struggled with all year long. Now, they're getting it in just a quarter of the school year."

— Wendy Grimm, EL Educator at Troy City Schools

 

Read the Full Article

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Educator Spotlight: Kit’s Reading Adventure and Beyond — Building Confidence in Every Learner

Publication: Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE Journal) | Published: September 24, 2025

Featured Educator: Sarah Walters, Literacy Instructional Support Specialist & IMSE District Instructor

Sarah Walters, Literacy Instructional Support Specialist at Troy City Schools, co-authored "Kit's Reading Adventure" to celebrate diverse learners and multi-sensory learning.

🌟 Key Highlights from the Interview

• Empowering Educators at Scale: Since launching its IMSE journey in 2022, Troy City Schools has trained 102 teachers in Orton-Gillingham Plus (OG+), 54 in Morphology Plus, 11 in Phonological Awareness, and expanded specialized courses for paraprofessionals.

• Turning Challenge into Success: At one district elementary school, 63.5% of incoming kindergarteners started off-track on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. By spring, through explicit, science-of-reading instruction, 83% scored at or above grade level.

• Bridging Literacy & Mental Health: Combining 18+ years in education with backgrounds in literacy and school counseling, Sarah Walters focuses on addressing the social-emotional impact of reading difficulties by building early confidence.

• National Representation & Authorship: Co-authored by Sarah Walters, Kit's Reading Adventure highlights multi-sensory learning and celebrates neurodiversity, giving children a relatable character who learns in her own unique way.

"When teachers feel confident, students thrive. I am encouraged by the way our community is rallying around literacy, from professional development to family engagement. The future is bright for our readers in Troy City Schools."

— Sarah Walters, Literacy Instructional Support Specialist & IMSE District Instructor

 

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Educators Blog: Why Professional Learning for Teachers Can't Be Optional

Publication: Curriculum Associates + i-Ready Educators Blog | Published: April 23, 2026

Author: Danielle Romine, Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning

Location: Troy City Schools (Troy, Ohio)

Troy City Schools educators participating in hands-on professional development sessions designed to drive instructional growth.

Key Highlights from the Article

• Investing in Teacher Practice Over Programs: Programs alone don't change student outcomes—teacher practice does. True, lasting change requires viewing professional learning as an essential investment rather than an optional add-on.

• Flexible Scheduling for Maximum Access: To avoid pulling over 100 teachers out of classrooms or exceeding budget limits, Troy created a flexible model offering six distinct learning slots across two days (before school, during lunch, and after school).

• Protected Morning Collaboration: A dedicated daily collaboration block from 8:00–8:45 AM gives educator teams the protected time needed to reflect, collaborate, and apply new strategies in real time.

• Shift from Scripts to Responsive Teaching: Strong professional learning partnerships and trust have empowered teachers to move away from rigid, scripted instruction toward making real-time decisions based on student needs.

"If we change input, we change output... Accountability without support doesn't work. Accountability grounded in trust and professional learning absolutely does."

— Danielle Romine, Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning

 

Read the Full Article

[Read Full PDF Article ]        [Read Original Feature on CurriculumAssociates.com ↗ ]