CASE STUDIES

A High-Demand Literacy Program for Students in Transitional Housing

How P.S. 290 turned restricted funding into sustained literacy growth and family engagement.

School Profile

Location

East New York, Brooklyn, NY

School Enrollment:

352 Pre-K–5 students

Springboard Program Enrollment

322 students served Pre-K-5

School Demographics:

82% Hispanic
16% African American

46% Multilingual Learners

Overview

P.S. 290 Juan Morel Campos serves a student population shaped by frequent moves and shifting routines. Many students live in transitional housing, navigating changes that make consistent access to learning difficult beyond the classroom. Inside the classroom, educators face a range of literacy needs, including gaps in foundational skills and a multilingual learner population.

School leaders sought a solution that could provide targeted instruction, family engagement, and a sustainable structure for students experiencing frequent transitions, while also putting Students in Transitional Housing funding directly toward student learning.

P.S. 290 partnered with Springboard Collaborative in 2024 to implement a structured literacy program built to create consistency for students, engage families, and accelerate learning. Over time, the program became sought after by families, with waitlists and repeat participation across cycles.

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Challenges

Structured Instruction and Data-Driven Small-Group Learning

Springboard worked with P.S. 290 leaders and teachers to implement an instructional cycle grounded in assessment data, small-group instruction, progress monitoring, and student celebration, using DIBELS-aligned structures to identify student needs and adjust instruction throughout each cycle.

Foundational Literacy Gaps

Students entered with needs in phonemic awareness, decoding, and comprehension, requiring targeted small-group instruction.

Barriers to Family Engagement

Families often lacked the time, materials, and support needed to reinforce literacy learning at home.

Restricted Funding

Students in Transitional Housing (STH) funds were difficult to use for academic programming without a compliant, structured model.

Solution

Structured Instruction and Data-Driven Small-Group Learning

Family Engagement Through Communication and Practical Support

Program staff used Springboard's Connect: Educator app and Google Voice to maintain communication with families, while Family Workshops provided literacy strategies and materials, offered in English and Spanish, that families could use at home.

Strategic Use of Funding and Strong Implementation Systems

ith Springboard's support, P.S. 290 became the first school in NYCPS to use STH funds for literacy programming, shifting from covering basic needs to investing in instruction, family engagement, and student support.

Systems and Leadership That Sustain Participation

Springboard provided implementation structures, communication tools, planning support, and coaching that helped P.S. 290 sustain enrollment, family communication, and attendance tracking as students moved in and out of the program.

Results

Compared to pre-pandemic levels, Springboard schools in City Schools are progressing in ELA proficiency on MCAP state assessments faster than the overall district.

4.6

Months reading growth on DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency measures

94%

Families agreed improved reading routines during the program

72%

Students who met or exceeded their literacy growth goals

“Our students don’t always have consistency outside of school. This program gave them – and their families — a routine they could rely on.”

Principal
Baltimore City Public Schools

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