Liberty Elementary looks to reduce ‘over-scaffolding’

Teachers and staff at Liberty Elementary School have made it a priority to give struggling students plenty of guidance, help and intervention along the way — but recent data suggests there may be such a thing as too much support.

After falling short of several state accountability targets for three years in a row, Liberty Elementary is entering the 2026-27 school year with a Local Improvement Plan aimed at improving academic performance and closing achievement gaps among certain student groups.

Leyah Miles, principal of Liberty Elementary, said one of the root causes identified in the LIP was over-scaffolding — meaning excessive support — which contributed to a lack of student independence, critical thinking and intrinsic motivation.