From Struggling Readers to Literacy Stars:

How Jolly Phonics Transformed Learning at Valley School

The teachers at Valley Elementary School, Elgin, Iowa realized they had to drastically change their method of literacy teaching when the majority of their students were failing in DIBELS tests. Angie Boehm talks about the introduction of Jolly Phonics and how it turned their students into confident readers.

Overview

When Valley Elementary School in Elgin, Iowa, faced low literacy scores and a high Title One Reading population, the educators realised their methods needed an overhaul. By introducing Jolly Phonics—a systematic, synthetic phonics programme—they witnessed an astounding turnaround. Within months, their kindergarteners not only met but exceeded end-of-year literacy benchmarks by mid-year. This case study highlights how a structured approach to teaching sounds and blending unlocked confidence, enthusiasm, and remarkable reading abilities in students.

Key Statistics

98% of kindergarteners met or exceeded the benchmark in phoneme segmentation by 2005-2006, compared to 54% before Jolly Phonics.
81% of students achieved the benchmark in nonsense word fluency by 2005-2006, up from 30% pre-Jolly Phonics.
Kindergarten students ended the year reading at mid-first grade level on average.

The Results

The implementation of Jolly Phonics transformed the literacy landscape at Valley Elementary. Students quickly grasped the 42 phonics sounds, enabling them to blend and segment words effectively. This systematic approach replaced fragmented teaching methods, ensuring every child achieved consistent results. By mid-year, students surpassed end-of-year DIBELS benchmarks. Beyond test scores, Jolly Phonics instilled confidence and a love for reading, with parents reporting children independently sounding out words and excelling in spelling challenges.

Download the full case study here.