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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240611T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240611T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053222
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SUMMARY:Every Child Thrives: A Journey in Early Childhood Equity Strategies
DESCRIPTION:This session featured members of the “Every Child Thrives” collaborative in Dodge and Jefferson Counties\, Wisconsin. The panelists in the session formed the Early Childhood Equity Strategies Learning Collaborative in August 2023 and shared their progress and lessons learned in this work.     \nThe webinar began with Susan Olson and Kim Melcher from Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation (GWCHF)\, the backbone organization for “Every Child Thrives.” Olson and Melcher provided an overview of the structure of the collaborative and what led the team to invest in embedding equity strategies across specific early childhood programs.   \n\n“We believe that transforming community health requires more than check writing. It’s our role to serve as a catalyst — to inspire collaboration\, mobilize resources and encourage innovation that measurably contribute to the well-being of our community.” – Kim Melcher. GWCHF  \n\nCarol Quest and Abbigail Kuehn with the Watertown Department of Public Health discussed how their work has been influenced by joining the Early Childhood Equity Strategies Learning Collaborative. A review of birth records and maternal child health data revealed disparities for families of color\, particularly in the areas of prenatal health and supportive services after birth. This led the organization to change programs and approaches that directly address these factors.   \n\n“Our goals are to create a process for screening pregnant individuals for unmet social health needs\, establishing a process for connecting them with community-based resources\, and creating an agency process to close the loop when making referrals to ensure families are getting the resources they need. And if they aren’t\, what are the barriers and how can we help reduce those barriers?” – Abbigail Kuehn\, Watertown Department of Public Health  \n\nFollowing Quest and Kuehn\, Jessica Johnson with the Dodgeland School District shared that their strategies have included providing specific professional development for teachers\, having an emphasis on social-emotional based learning\, and building in a tiered system of supports for students. Other strategies emphasize reviewing ASQ Developmental Screening data and cultivating trust and partnerships between teachers and families prior to kindergarten entry.   \n\n“We know that kids who attend good early childhood education programs are much more likely to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. We’ve invested in the pyramid model in our preschool programs. The primary focus of the pyramid model is to support the social\, emotional and behavioral outcomes of young children aged birth to 5 by reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices\, promoting family engagement\, using data for decision-making\, integrating early childhood and infant mental health and fostering inclusion. – Jessica Johnson\, Dodgeland School District  \n\nJenny Borst from the Watertown Unified School District concluded the session by discussing the ways the district is using a social-emotional framework called the pyramid model in classrooms to promote student well-being and inclusion\, and the data used to track correlations with reading outcomes.    \n\n“Taking a look at our equity strategy\, we feel very strongly about not only the pyramid model\, but specifically providing a coaching support for that classroom teacher.” – Jenny Borst\, Watertown Unified School District  
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/watertown-community-health-foundation-early-learning-collaborative-and-equity/
CATEGORIES:Crucible of Practice Salon,Parents,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240611T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240611T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053222
CREATED:20240610T020340Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240625T023033Z
UID:247840-1718118000-1718123400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Innovative Approaches to Teacher Recruitment & Retention Across Rural & Diverse Regions
DESCRIPTION:During this GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, Betsy Mijares\, Ed.D.\, with the T.L.L. Temple Foundation moderated a conversation exploring innovative approaches that university and nonprofit leaders are applying in rural and urban areas to strengthen teacher recruitment and retention. Mijares began by sharing information about her rural east Texas foundation’s investments and partnerships related to teacher recruitment and retention. Examples include creating teacher pathways for high school students through a partnership with Texas A&M University and contributing to a “teacher incentive allotment” for financial incentives to recruit and retain teachers and encourage them to work in high-needs schools.  \nJason Judd\, Ed.D.\, from Educate Maine described his partnership with the Maine Department of Education to launch the Teach Maine Center\, designed to recruit\, retain\, diversify and elevate current and future teachers in Maine. Judd described various funding sources\, including from the state department of education\, a local foundation and a recently awarded congressional “earmark\,” that are helping to support the work. He shared that they spent six months traveling to every county in the state to host focus groups with teachers to understand and elevate their needs and interests. “We’ve had teacher leaders not only at every focus group\, dozens of them\, on weekends\, but also on our design team\, in consultant roles and leadership roles\, really going hand in hand with us planning this work moving forward.” While this initiative is still relatively new\, Judd outlined next steps including a report summarizing their focus groups\, pilots in two counties to recruit and retain teachers\, a “Be a Teacher” campaign and efforts to establish sustainable funding.  \nFlynn Ross\, Ed.D.\, with the University of Southern Maine described another innovative partnership in Maine focused on teacher recruitment through the creation of the Maine Teacher Residency. This partnership between the university and local school districts was launched in response to the demand to recruit high-quality teachers in a local high-poverty district\, and the university used this situation as an opportunity to create a residency program. Funded in part by existing district position funding\, the residency model offers the teacher candidates paid student internships\, mentor teachers\, tuition support for residents and advice on coursework to complete their professional certification. Ross shared how the university is accommodating students in this residency program: “We’ve moved all of our courses after school and/or online to accommodate full-time working students.” She also described how the university has created a statewide mentoring network to support mentor teachers in their coaching of teacher candidates.  \nNathan Sorber\, Ph.D.\, with West Virginia University described the university’s involvement in an innovative initiative\, Teachers Ascend\, to attract teachers to move and teach in West Virginia to respond to their teacher shortage challenges. Teachers Ascend builds off an earlier initiative\, Ascend West Virginia\, that found success in recruiting people working remotely during the pandemic to relocate to the state\, incentivized by a stipend and the opportunity to enjoy the state’s natural beauty and outdoor recreation. The initiative offers candidates tuition support and mentoring\, as well as a sense of community through a cohort of teachers going through this initiative together. As Sorber said\, they thought about\, “How could we create this space of\, say\, you’re not coming into the state alone\, that [instead] you could move in and be part of a network and part of a community?” They are piloting the program this spring with 10 teachers to be placed in two districts\, with the hope of creating a “proof of concept” to spread across the state.  \nFinally\, Audrey Rogers\, Ed.D.\, with Southern New Hampshire University\, discussed her university’s clinical apprenticeship model as well as a unique partnership with AmeriCorps. For the university’s early childhood and elementary licensure programs\, teacher candidates are funded to teach in the Manchester school district partly through Title I funds. For students pursuing a master’s degree in secondary education\, they are co-enrolled as AmeriCorps members and receive associated AmeriCorps training and financial support\, and they provide a commitment of service to the Manchester community and students. As Rogers said about students’ co-enrollment with AmeriCorps: “These students\, when they join this program\, it’s not just\, I’m going to go…into this program and student teach. They take on the identity of an AmeriCorps volunteer. They do AmeriCorps training. They become a part of the community and have joined something that’s really bigger than themselves.”  
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/innovative-approaches-to-teacher-recruitment-retention-across-rural-diverse-regions/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Upcoming Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240618T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240618T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053222
CREATED:20240520T220413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T064148Z
UID:247549-1718722800-1718728200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Beyond Parent-Teacher Conferences: Partnerships That Maximize Student Learning
DESCRIPTION:CGLR has long advocated for productive parent-teacher partnerships and has hosted several webinars in recent years that revealed why “big bets” should be made on this strategy\, which has the potential to make more than the usual increments of change. When parents (or any primary caregiver for a student) build relational trust with their child’s teacher and come to see them as a colleague and a collaborator on the success and well-being of their children\, it can make a noticeable impact on student learning and development.  \nModerator and family engagement leader Gloria Corral of the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) introduced the session by engaging five state and national leaders in a discussion of what research from parent surveys has revealed about their various beliefs about schooling and learning. Cristina Gonzalez of Abriendo Puertas-Opening Doors\, Jessica Kelmon of GreatSchools.org\, Gina Martinez-Keddy of Parent Teacher Home Visits (PTHV)\, Shana McIver of Learning Heroes and Helen Westmoreland of the National PTA talked about the need for mindset changes across the board.  They discussed what makes parents feel welcomed and\, importantly\, recognized for their knowledge of and contributions to their children’s learning\, and what teachers need in terms of professional development to best partner with parents. Capturing this idea\, McIver emphasized the importance of trust in building relationships and the need for this to be part of the whole school’s approach to student learning:  \n“Like any relationship that we can think of\, the strongest are grounded in trust and teamwork. Same applies for parents and school-based leaders\, teams and educators. Family engagement strategies need to be anchored in student learning and student well-being. This is the work of everybody in the schoolhouse and school community. And so when [everybody is on board]\, schools are more likely to have authentic cultures of engagement where you see clear communication.” \nCorral then engaged with two district leaders who are training educators and cultivating partnerships between parents and teachers in their schools. Principal Katie Kriscunas of the Lakeview and Pajaro Middle Schools in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District in California and Nancy López of the Elk Grove Unified School District and trainer for PTHV discussed their “on-the-ground” work to educate teachers on what it takes to understand family context\, build trust and then work to engage with parents as partners in their children’s learning. Kriscunas shared how she is working to leverage her personal experience to change mindsets and facilitate a systemwide commitment to strong relationships with parents and families:  \n“In my experience as a teacher\, an assistant principal\, and an administrator\, I found that I’m capable of building those relationships one on one with families when I’m meeting with them. So then\, how do I bring that to go beyond the administration\, beyond the office staff\, beyond our counselors and really invest my time and energy in those systems and elevate student learning and student well-being as a key result of strong parent relationships?
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/bb-beyond-parent-teacher-conferences/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240625T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240625T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053222
CREATED:20240518T093236Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240628T192027Z
UID:247507-1719327600-1719333000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Early Childhood Workforce:  Where and How Can AI Support?
DESCRIPTION:The early research on the use of generative AI tools…suggests that those children who are underperforming the most are gaining the most from access to this technology.– Isabelle Hau\, Stanford Accelerator for Learning\, Stanford University  \n\nIsabelle Hau of Stanford Accelerator for Learning\, Stanford University offered the quote above during our June 25\, 2024 GLR Learning Tuesdays session as panelists delved into the potential role of AI in supporting the early childhood education (ECE) workforce.   \nThe discussion opened with the recognition that the ECE workforce is experiencing significant challenges\, such as burnout and high turnover rates. AI is presented as a tool that can offer substantial support in this sector. Hau highlighted the early research indicating that generative AI has an “equalizer effect\,” suggesting that children who are underperforming can benefit significantly from access to this technology. Hau emphasized the importance of equitable access\, noting that AI tools must be accessible to all to avoid exacerbating existing inequities. \nAI presents various opportunities for the ECE workforce\, including personalized learning experiences and administrative support. Michelle Kang of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) discussed the potential of AI to assist in data management and lesson planning\, which can free up educators to focus more on direct interactions with children. Kang said\, “AI can provide the sketch but we as human beings have to provide the color. We can’t depend on AI to provide that complete picture. It is a tool to be able to help provide that picture.” However\, Kang and Celia Stokes of Teaching Strategies also cautioned against potential risks\, such as data privacy concerns and the need for AI tools to be inclusive and representative of diverse contexts. Highlighting both the promise and the digital divide challenge and emphasizing the need for equitable access to technology\, Kang stated\, “We really have to be thinking about proceeding with caution…not losing sight of equity in all of this.” \nEnsuring that AI is used effectively and equitably requires thoughtful implementation and ongoing support. Jay Lee stressed the importance of “investing in the technologies around AI to make the pathway into becoming a certified teacher more accessible and more inclusive.” This involves providing adequate training for educators to use AI tools effectively and ensuring that these tools are designed to support diverse learning environments. Lee emphasized the need for AI to aid in teacher recruitment and retention by making the profession more sustainable. \nAs the conversation shifted to talk about what this means for grassroots implementation\, Dana Clarkson shared practical examples of how AI is currently being integrated into classrooms. At Design39Campus\, AI is used to foster creativity and engagement among students. Clarkson described a project where AI tools helped students write and perform music lyrics\, integrating their interests with educational standards. This approach illustrates how AI can be a collaborative tool in the learning process\, helping to make education more engaging and personalized for students​. \nFor families\, there is an emerging conversation and recognition around how AI can be a powerful force for good. According to Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union\, 67% of American families believe that the potential benefits of AI outweigh the negatives. And the major reason why we’re seeing that is because one silver lining of the pandemic is parents being very involved in education and deeply concerned about whether their children were going to be adequately supported. There is “real interest in personalized learning and individualized attention and how parents can use data for good and for action. And so\, what AI does from their perspective is really open up the avenue [for this] and the idea that we can adapt learning materials to a student’s pace and learning style\, or create new content from practice problems and videos\, or just making sure that we’re providing data-informed insights. We have parents right now [who are hungry for] more information\, and\, even at the earliest ages\, want to make sure their child is on track so that they can intervene and take action around the things that they need to do to support.” And AI provides that opportunity. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/early-childhood-workforce-where-and-how-can-ai-support/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240702T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240702T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053222
CREATED:20240614T152755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240705T195816Z
UID:247918-1719932400-1719937800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:HOLIDAY REBROADCAST: EdTech Working: Enhancing Teaching & Learning AND Scaling Needed Interventions
DESCRIPTION:This session was originally recorded live on April 23\, 2024.  \nThis discussion built on previous sessions exploring EdTech as a tool that increases student engagement and expands the reach of tutoring\, literacy instruction and other interventions. We saw EdTech get a big boost during the pandemic as schools shifted to remote learning\, which also underscored the importance of closing the digital divide. In this week’s continuation of CGLR’s “Big Bets Working” series\, we discussed strategies to make sure all students have access to the technology assets that work to accelerate equitable learning recovery. \nModerator John Gomperts of CGLR introduced the discussion by asking national EdTech leaders Jean-Claude Brizard of Digital Promise Global and Erin Mote of InnovateEDU how they approach digital equity and digital access. These experts explained that while access to broadband and devices is key\, equally important to closing the digital divide is building an understanding of how technology is supposed to be used in the classroom or at home to enhance and advance learning. Both panelists agreed that EdTech will never replace a great teacher and a healthy skepticism will keep us focused on how to make it fit into what we know works for young learners. Brizard described how he has seen EdTech be a big benefit to learning acceleration: \n“In digital education\, we’re coming up with new amazing ways of looking at the science of reading and joyful learning\, which is really important\, and bringing that into classrooms….How kids learn is still the foundational work. How technology enhances that\, making the teacher’s job more doable\, I think\, is the power. And bringing more adults to support a young person\, not just in the classroom….There are multiple ways in which we see technology enhancing the instructional process.” \nGomperts then engaged with program leaders and practitioners who have been successfully using EdTech to both enhance learning and expand access to their models to reach more learners and make a greater impact on early literacy and other areas of student development. Beth Rabbitt of The Learning Accelerator\, Jessica Sliwerski of Ignite Reading and Mindy Sjoblom of OnYourMark discussed how they are using EdTech to advance learning and achieve real results. They also talked about using technology to replicate their evidence-based models to reach more communities and more students. Sliwerski described how although tech is essential to her literacy program\, it is only one part of what leads to success for students: \n“What we are doing with Ignite Reading is delivering live\, highly trained humans into kids’ classrooms for 15 minutes of virtual instruction a day\, every day. And they are working one on one with kids teaching to their precise decoding gaps in order to ensure that they learn to read with automaticity and fluency. And so there’s this tech component that is underpinning a deeply human act. And this is really core to how we are getting student engagement and then ultimately really strong outcomes in our program.”
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/holiday-rebroadcast-edtech-working-enhancing-teaching-learning-and-scaling-needed-interventions/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240709T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240709T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240705T162906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240829T055059Z
UID:248158-1720537200-1720542600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Beyond Kindergarten: Transition\, Continuity and Alignment
DESCRIPTION:The July 9\, 2024 GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, part of our Kindergarten Matters webinar series\, highlighted the importance of the kindergarten to first grade transition. In a conversation moderated by Christina Lopez from the Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Program (MECLP)\, attendees heard from a panel of experts who shared ideas on how we can lift up the importance of this transition – in addition to the equally important transition into kindergarten. \nTo begin the conversation\, commentator Paula Grubbs from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC Chapel Hill emphasized the critical importance of transition periods in early childhood education\, particularly from kindergarten to first grade. Grubbs explained that while research supports the expanding focus on effective strategies for transitioning into kindergarten\, there is less focus on the kindergarten to first grade transition\, despite its growing significance. Grubbs shared that as it relates to transitions\, “the two most important ideas that came up have been the importance of developing a culture of transition and the focus on creating family partnerships.” \nTo begin the presentations\, Cynthia D. Jackson from Educare Learning Network outlined the collaborations between Educare and elementary schools to facilitate smooth transitions. Leveraging co-location\, Jackson explained\, Educare works to align practices and support for children with activities — such as meeting future teachers\, touring the school\, and engaging in shared professional development between early learning and kindergarten staff — to help students prepare for the next educational phase. Unfortunately\, Jackson explained\, Educare is not immune to challenges that complicate the process of ensuring a smooth kindergarten to first grade transition. \n“We do collect a lot of information and data about our children and the families who work with us — through assessments of the children and surveys with the parents — but oftentimes there’s nowhere to send that data because these relationships aren’t as strong as they should be\,” Jackson closed. \nAttendees then heard from David Jacobson\, Ph.D.\, with First 10 and the Education Development Center (EDC)\, which works to address the fragmented nature of early childhood systems by convening school-community partnerships across the birth through age 10 continuum.. These partnerships\, Jacobson explained\, focus on three broad strategies: improving teaching and learning transitions\, coordinating comprehensive services and deepening partnerships with families. Central to Jacobson’s ideas surrounding successful kindergarten to first grade transitions was the idea of vertical collaboration sessions among educators from preschool through second grade. In these sessions\, Jacobson explains\, teachers are able to meet across grade levels to discuss planning\, teaching strategies and standards to better support one another. \n“I always say a little bit of magic happens when we do these vertical collaboration sessions. Partnerships really have the opportunity to mesh\, and folks feel the value of their collaboration in deep and meaningful ways\,” Jacobson closed. \nRyan Lee-James\, Ph.D.\, CCC-SLP\, from the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy as well as the Atlanta Speech School School continued the conversation by emphasizing the critical role of assessment in bridging the gap between kindergarten and first grade. Lee-James explained that assessments can be used as a powerful tool in monitoring of students’ progress\, but she cautioned that many schools tend to collect data without analyzing it effectively. Regarding the need to analyze and dig deeper into the data\, Lee-James shared\, “An equitable practice that we uphold is doing a deeper dive with all students. Even the students who are showing up as proficient\, they\, too\, deserve an opportunity to be advanced to their potential.” \nBonnie Short with the Alabama State Department of Education closed the presentations by discussing Alabama’s approach to the transition to first grade within the context of the state’s Alabama Reading Initiative. Short highlighted the alignment of assessments\, specifically the kindergarten entry assessment and early years assessments\, to ensure a smooth progression for students between grade levels. Also pivotal\, Short explained\, is the importance of intentional communication with families and collaboration with community agencies to enhance the transition process and ensure continuity in educational support from kindergarten through first grade. Short closed with a piece of good news about Alabama’s efforts: \n“We are seeing achievement gaps close for children\, and I know it’s because we’re being very intentional about the standards and because we’re being intentional about making sure that this is a side-by-side partnership.”
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/beyond-kindergarten-transition-c/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240716T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240716T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240620T154932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T192005Z
UID:247963-1721142000-1721147400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Children's Books: From Access to Opportunity
DESCRIPTION:“If we don’t increase access to rich books that speak to children in a way that really honors their own identity\, their community\, but also expand the minds of even children who are already represented in the literature. If we don’t do that\, then we’re actually not doing what our children need for us to do\, which is ensure that they are prepared for school and for life\, but also prepared to solve what we know are going to be even bigger social\, economic and new global problems like climate change. So we need to understand the power of diverse books\, not just for racially\, ethnically\, linguistically minoritized children\, but it’s really for our global society.” \n– heoma U. Iruka\, Ph.D.\, University of North Carolina\, Chapel Hill \nIn this July 16 GLR Learning Tuesdays session\, entitled Children’s Books: From Access to Opportunity and co-sponsored by Early Learning Nation\, Iheoma U. Iruka\, Ph.D.\, of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina\, Chapel Hill outlined research underscoring the importance of ensuring young children have access to engaging and diverse books that nurture a love of reading.  \nFreelance journalist Leigh Giangreco moderated the conversation\, engaging Iruka and four leaders of innovative programs — Tabitha Blackwell of Book Harvest\, Durham; Nora Briggs of The Dollywood Foundation and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library; Alvin Irby of Barbershop Books; and Kyle Zimmer of First Book. These programs are working to end book deserts and ensure children have ready access to books that foster a love of reading and function as “mirrors\, windows and sliding glass doors” that enable them to see themselves reflected in the stories\, explore other experiences and enter worlds other than their own\, building deeper understanding and empathy. \nBlackwell explained how Book Harvest is promoting an “early literacy system of care” designed to deliver evidence-informed programs that ensure literacy is nourished for every child during the first decade of life. These efforts begin with health care partnerships that enable the organization to send infants home from the hospital with a starter home library of 10 books. The work continues by supporting children and families as they navigate the transition into preK and kindergarten and by enabling school-age children to select books to take home and read during the summer months. Book Harvest provides additional wraparound supports for Medicaid-eligible families from birth through age 5\, offering literacy coaching home visits\, additional books and other resources. Launched in Durham\, North Carolina\, Book Harvest has expanded into 13 other cities across the state and four communities beyond North Carolina. \n“Everyone thinks that it’s this complicated thing\, but we say ‘Just talk to your child. Look at the book and name the colors on the page.’ It’s really bringing home the fact that [literacy] begins at birth\, that reading to them is important and it’s a practice….It doesn’t have to be reading word for word everything that’s on the page. It truly is just connecting with your children….That’s family engagement. They are the ones doing the work. We are just walking alongside them and amplifying the good work they’re doing and letting them know ‘You got this and you can do it.’” \n-Tabitha Blackwell\, Book Harvest\, Durham \nBriggs\, along with a video greeting from the foundation’s “Dreamer in Chief” Dolly Parton\, shared how Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) is a community-based\, program that delivers high-quality\, age-appropriate books to children each month until age 5 at no cost to the family. Since starting in Parton’s home county in Tennessee in 1995\, the program has delivered more than 250 million books as it has grown to serve one out of every seven children in the United States\, with a goal of reaching one out of four. DPIL partners with state departments of education and other state agencies to scale statewide and ensure they reach children in the foster care\, WIC and other public systems. DPIL also collaborates with local school districts\, public libraries\, birthing hospitals and other community partners to reach and enroll children. \n“The research and the science are very clear. We cannot wait for kindergarten for children to have access and exposure to books and reading. We need to reach children early\, starting at birth\, and this primarily happens at home. Reading at home requires books and not all families have access….This is where we can help….A book comes to the home. It’s a gift. It’s free. No means testing or proving that they need it. They don’t need to go anywhere to pick it up or return it. They can just snuggle up and read together.” \n-Nora Briggs\, The Dollywood Foundation \nIrby introduced Barbershop Books and the ways in which it is working to inspire Black boys and other boys of color to read for fun and to view themselves as readers. It’s flagship program\, also called Barbershop Books\, engages the boys it is seeking to serve in curating books to be placed in the barbershops and provides tips\, training and supports to the barbers to help them play the role of trusted messenger and role model in encouraging reading. Serving about 15\,000 children each month\, the program currently partners with 265 barbershops in 50 cities across 20 states\, often collaborating with the libraries\, school districts and local governments in the communities as well. By focusing on books that are of interest to the boys and the environments and modalities that make reading personally meaningful\, relevant and engaging\, the program is working to enhance the boys’ reading identities. \n“For many children\, their resistance to reading or reluctance to reading is actually a form of self-love. Nobody wants to be tortured by anything and some of the ‘whack’ books that are being pushed on kids actually cause them to have negative reading attitudes. So boys don’t think they’re readers\, not because they don’t actually read\, but because what they read is not affirmed in the classroom. It’s not used for instructional purposes. A big part of our work is to speak very explicitly about reading trauma….It’s like a child who has been bitten by a dog. They don’t care how cute and nice your dog is\, the sight of a dog can create anxiety and fear. For many children who’ve had very traumatic reading experiences\, they don’t get those warm and fuzzies as children who have had someone curl up with them to read.” \n-Alvin Irby\, Barbershop Books \nZimmer explained how First Book is committed to elevating quality education for children in need from birth through age 18\, outlining the three programs that advance the organization’s mission: a research arm that generates about 20 studies each year on topics such as the impact of diverse books in the classroom\, mental health and reading and literacy; an Accelerator platform that delivers resources on building literacy-rich classrooms\, promoting emotional wellness and other topics to educators; and First Book Marketplace\, a nonprofit e-commerce site providing books and other resources. She explained how First Book is collaborating with a wide range of other organizations — including those featured in this webinar — to ensure children and educators have access to diverse books. Zimmer added that First Book is building an aggregated market designed to influence the economic model of the publishing industry to lower the cost of children’s books and demonstrate a vibrant demand for diverse books. \n“All of us on this panel and all of us attending this webinar believe deeply that we need to elevate reading. We need to elevate wonderful\, diverse books in the lives of kids. First Book’s approach to that is a systemic strategy that makes lower-priced\, higher-value\, higher-diversity\, higher-relevancy books available to the adults in kids’ lives and also lowers the costs for all of the heroic organizations like the ones on our screen. What we’re trying to do is really elevate the field and lower the costs.” \n-Kyle Zimmer\, First Book
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/childrens-books/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240722T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240722T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240530T174058Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240726T204301Z
UID:247616-1721651400-1721656800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Ready\, Set\, Go: Two-Generation Approaches for Kindergarten Success
DESCRIPTION:For the second year\, United Way Worldwide (UWW)\, Ascend at the Aspen Institute and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) joined forces during GLR Week to launch a three-part series focused on two-generation approaches to alleviating poverty. Led by an impressive panel comprised of national and local leaders working on the frontlines of policy and practice to guide the discussion\, Ready\, Set\, Go: Two-Generation Approaches for Kindergarten Success\, participants gained a deeper appreciation for the value of two-generation approaches for early learning success.    \nKindergarten success involves not only the child and school\, it also engages first and foremost families and caregivers and the community. It is the responsibility of adults\, programs and systems to support children’s success\, which is why two-generation approaches hold such promise for early learning success.    \nAnd there are silver linings that give us a reason to believe that two-generation approaches hold great promise. Vivian Tseng\, Ph.D.\, of the Foundation for Child Development shared findings from her organization’s recent report: “Cut Child Poverty in Half and More: Pandemic-Era Lessons From Child and Family Advocates and Organizers.” The report highlights the extraordinary departure from underinvestment in children to the deep investments made during the COVID pandemic that resulted in cutting child poverty in half in only two years.    \nAyeola Fortune of United Way Worldwide set the broader frame for how United Ways are advancing kindergarten success. She honed in on UWW’s equity approach\, which appreciates the need to differentiate supports and services. “Without paying attention to differences\, we may make progress\, but we will not close gaps\,” said Fortune. United Ways are developing goals and strategies to be systemic and multifaceted in their approaches\, raising community and stakeholder awareness\, making strategic resource investments\, and collecting data to understand where progress is happening and where more change is needed.  \nTo provide the local context\, United Way affiliates from United Ways in Denver\, Colorado\, and the Columbus/Chattahoochee Valley\, Georgia\, reinforced two-generation approaches. Roweena Naidoo of Denver’s Mile High United Way shared that “when programs and policies are designed with the whole family’s education and economic future in mind\, and families are assisted to reach the social networks and resources that they need to be successful in life\, opportunity becomes a family tradition.” In Colorado\, the community is wrestling with the high cost of child care\, not enough child care slots and staffing shortages. In response\, Mile High United Way reimagined an underutilized conference space in their building and opened the Tamara Sparks Early Learning Center. With 60 slots earmarked for children birth to age 5 from low-income families\, paying teachers 20% above market rate and offering a reduced rate of care to $250.00/month\, paired with a parent empowerment program\, Denver is making great inroads for early learning success.   \nGeorgia’s Chattahoochee Valley is an area of great wealth and high poverty. In 2018\, a strategic planning process to organize early education work was a key driver in aligning efforts toward shared community goals. It also forced an organizational shift rooted in the realization that if they wanted to achieve improved financial security and economic mobility in adult years\, a very intentional focus on educational outcomes\, including during the earliest years of life\, would be necessary.   \nPam Romaro of the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley added to the Chattahoochee story by sharing their work with Community Schools. Romaro defined community schools as\, “a strategy that transforms schools into places where educators\, local community members\, families and students work together to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development.” The first school opened in fall 2020 and onboarded the first community school coordinator. Now with four community schools\, full-time community school coordinators in each school are implementing the four pillars of community schools: 1) integrated student support; 2) active family and community engagement; 3) expanded and enriched learning\, time and opportunities; and 4) collaborative leadership and practices with families at the center of the work.  \nTwo-generation approaches to policy and practice are helping to ensure kindergarten success. As we continue to showcase bright spots worthy of attention and investment\, we hope that you will join us for part two of this conversation in September where we will  explore other two-generation approaches that are working across systems and sectors to create intergenerational opportunity.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/ready-set-go-two-generation-approaches-for-kindergarten-readiness/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240722T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240722T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240530T205357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T190056Z
UID:247672-1721660400-1721665800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Supporting School Attendance in a Time of Changing Norms
DESCRIPTION:During this webinar\, John Gomperts with the Campaign for Grade-Level-Reading moderated a conversation exploring the causes behind the widespread spike in chronic absenteeism post-pandemic and strategies to tackle it among education and community leaders. \nNat Malkus\, Ph.D.\, with the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) provided an overview of the size and scope of chronic absenteeism presently. Malkus\, who tracks chronic absenteeism rates through the Return to Learn Tracker\, described how national chronic absenteeism rates went from around 15% of students (or about every 1 in 7) pre-pandemic to 28% of students (or nearly 1 in 3) post-pandemic. He noted that despite COVID infections decreasing since 2022\, chronic absenteeism did not also decrease but instead has persisted at this new unprecedented rate of 28%. He called on governors as key leaders who could make a difference for their states on this issue. \n\n“Are we going to plateau at some new normal where chronic absenteeism is just something that we’re sort of okay with? I think that’s the principal threat we’re dealing with\, and that’s why now is the time to confront this at every level\, to really prevent this from becoming a new normal for our students.” \n— Nat Malkus\, Ph.D.\, American Enterprise Institute \n\nHedy Chang of Attendance Works\, an organization dedicated to supporting strong attendance\, described the many negative “ripple effects” of chronic absenteeism: “It is harder for teachers to teach\, for teachers to set classroom norms\, for teachers to form relationships with kids\, for kids to form relationships with each other and for kids to learn. The ripple effects are enormous.” To combat these effects\, Chang advised educators not only to help students and families understand the consequences of missing school but also to make sure school is compelling. \n\n“We need to [send a] message to kids and families that being in school is valuable and\, when you’re not here\, help them know clearly what they’re missing. But we also have to make sure that schools post-pandemic feel valuable\, feel engaging\, feel relevant to kids’ futures.” \n— Hedy Chang\, Attendance Works \n\nDenise Forte of The Education Trust noted that although we are technically post-pandemic\, many families and students are still recovering from it — physically\, emotionally\, financially and more. In addition\, she noted the specific impact on students of color and those from low-income communities who “have borne the brunt of that with the loss of employment\, loss of health\, deaths of caregivers.” Forte also noted the messaging of low expectations that students received when just logging online to a virtual class meant that they were present\, and the impact this may have had on their motivation to go back to school in-person. She stressed the need to prioritize resource equity and adequate funding for schools and communities that were hit harder by the pandemic\, including students of color and from lower-income families. Forte also underscored the importance of people in the community who families trust\, like faith-based leaders\, neighbors and others to encourage and support families and students to prioritize attendance\, as an “all-hands-on-deck” approach. Chang\, Malkus and Forte announced a call to action\, sponsored by Attendance Works\, The Education Trust and AEI\, for every community\, and especially for state leaders\, to cut chronic absenteeism in half in five years. To make progress on this goal\, Chang advised communities to get data on their schools’ chronic absenteeism rates\, partner with others already working on this issue and prioritize helping the kindergarten through third grade age group and their families to practice regular attendance that will carry on through their time in school. The challenge particularly targets state school chiefs to sign up and tackle this issue at the state level. \nSonja Brookins Santelises\, Ed.D.\, of Baltimore City Public Schools described how the disruption of the pandemic to regular\, in-person school attendance changed the norms from “going to school out of tradition” to “school became optional.” She also noted that her district is focused on increasing attendance among pre-K students as much as they are among high school students\, to help families understand the importance of regular attendance even for the youngest children. Santelises shared some things that are working in Baltimore to decrease absenteeism\, including leadership from the mayor and city government with quarterly attendance challenges\, partnerships with community organizations and a focus on continuous improvement to review data and adjust their approach accordingly. \n\n“It’s going to require the kind of relationship piece that folks are talking about\, but relationship connected with actual response and action on the part of schools\, on the part of whole cities and communities.” \n— Sonja Brookins Santelises\, Ed.D.\, Baltimore City Public Schools \n\nFinally\, Johann Liljengren with the Colorado Department of Education described how the spike in chronic absenteeism overwhelmed districts that assigned only one or two people to work on this issue. He also shared how the state department of education is thinking through strategies to enhance districts’ capacity to effectively tackle the challenge. He noted that across the state in the 2021–2022 school year\, the highest rates of chronic absenteeism were among the oldest students (12th graders) and the youngest students (kindergartners)\, reflecting different causes of absenteeism and a need for a deep understanding of these causes to inform appropriate responses. Liljengren described Colorado’s launch of a learning cohort for district leaders on chronic absenteeism as an effective strategy to bring people together across the state to learn and share what’s working to tackle the crisis. \n\n“I think this is the number one problem that schools are facing….I just don’t see any way to fix pandemic learning loss that doesn’t go through major progress on chronic absenteeism. So I think it’s really where things need to be focused on.” \n— Nat Malkus\, Ph.D.\, American Enterprise Institute
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/glr-week-attendance/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240723T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240723T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240530T205327Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250208T174323Z
UID:247677-1721737800-1721743200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:CGLR Salutes Children's Museums: A Virtual Gratitude Reception
DESCRIPTION:Over the past five years of virtual gratitude sessions\, we have celebrated our outstanding partnerships with The United Way\, public housing authorities\, public libraries\, public television and now children’s museums. These critical partners align with our mutual commitment to becoming increasingly intentional and explicit about naming\, mapping\, shrinking and closing the gaps. \nThe 2024 GLR Week Gratitude Reception focused on the importance of addressing learning inequities and ensuring access to children’s museums for all children\, especially those from marginalized communities. The panelists — including Arthur G. Affleck\, III\, M.Ed.\, J.D.\, of the Association of Children’s Museums as moderator; Denise Rosario Adusei of the Bronx Children’s Museum; Tanya S. Durand of Greentrike; Carole Charnow of the Boston Children’s Museum; Laura Huerta Migus of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; and Patricia Wellenbach of the Please Touch Museum — emphasized the role of children’s museums in supporting grade-level reading initiatives and providing learning experiences for diverse populations. \n\n“Children’s museums are just so important in not only inspiring children to become learners and to develop identities as curious and confident learners\, they are also spaces that help build the confidence and social capital of the adults and caregivers who surround the children that come to visit children’s museums.” \n– Laura Huerta Migus\, Deputy Director for Museum Services\, Institute of Museum and Library Services \n\nEach of the panelists discussed some of the programs unique to their museum. Each highlighted their work in establishing free or low-cost access days and coordinating with partners and funders to develop important initiatives. Examples include a Book Bodega in the Bronx\, the first children’s bookstore in the Bronx; The Kinder Launch initiative at the Please Touch Museum; and the work of the Boston Children’s Museum in partnering with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to establish hubs all over the state to make sure all children have access to resources that ensure a quality education. We heard about the critical outreach efforts at Greentrike – The Children’s Museum of Tacoma. They established a diaper bank in their museum and the “care kits” program with the local children’s hospital\, which provides children who cannot leave their beds with books and an art activity. \n\n“Children’s museums have become community museums. And the more we can talk about that\, the more we can move from a nice to have to an essential need to have for the future of all of our cities\, our states\, commonwealths and the country. Because this is where we’re building the resiliency\, the creativity and the curiosity in the youngest children so they can go on to be the leaders of tomorrow.” \n– Patricia Wellenbach\, CEO\, Please Touch Museum
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/glr-week-museums/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240723T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240723T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240530T211221Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240729T070036Z
UID:247681-1721746800-1721752200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The Promise and Potential of Play-Based Learning
DESCRIPTION:CGLR has long advocated for playful learning in community spaces such as playgrounds and parks\, believing that learning happens everywhere. This week’s session gave us the chance to explore play as a teaching and learning strategy in the classroom\, especially during the important kindergarten year that serves and a critical bridge to the early elementary school grades.  \nModerator and competency-based education leader William R. Hite\, Jr.\, Ed.D.\, of KnowledgeWorks introduced the session by engaging three national researchers in a discussion of the evidence demonstrating how play can be a significant component of the learning experience that aligns with core standards and the all-important science of learning. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek\, Ph.D.\, of Temple University\, Ryan Lee-James\, Ph.D.\, of the Atlanta Speech School\, and Andres Bustamante\, Ph.D.\, of the University of California at Irvine talked about the ways in which play-based learning can help to address gaps in early learning\, especially for marginalized groups who have historically not had access to the assets needed to achieve school success. Bustamante explained how a fun math game enables learning of hard math concepts\, building skills among multi-language learners who had previously struggled:  \n“[Through play] we find very strong impacts on kids’ fraction and decimal learning\, which are notoriously challenging math concepts to move the needle on. And so\, on average\, a kid who was in the 50th percentile in their fraction learning would go all the way up to the 75th percentile after only a three-week program of playing ‘fraction ball.’ When kids are up\, when they’re physically active\, when they’re engaged\, with their ‘hands on and minds on\,’ the learning is more powerful.”  \nHite then engaged with a leader in play-based learning using gaming and AI\, a state education leader and a retired kindergarten teacher who shared multiple and innovative games and teaching strategies that allow children to learn through engagement\, teamwork\, decision-making and other tasks that are part of play. Abby Jenkins of PBS KIDS\, Kate Dole of the Minnesota Department of Education and Kathy Baer of the West Chester Area School District in Pennsylvania (retired) shared their experience developing technology-based and standards-aligned games that can be played in the home as well as interactive games that have been incorporated into a kindergarten classroom where kids are learning math and science while engaging in a simulated grocery store\, for example. Dole shared how the department is promoting play-based learning as a primary learning strategy to achieve state standards to teachers across the Minnesota:  \n“So our work as a state agency really stemmed from our belief that schools should be welcoming and joyful and that instruction should be developmentally appropriate and supported by research. We know that the research shows that joyful play-based learning helps young children stay engaged for longer and become more deeply engaged in learning. We want to build teachers’ belief systems and their understanding that this is something that they can do. And while we set the state standards\, the standards are the ‘what\,’ they’re not the ‘how.’ So teachers have a lot of flexibility on how they implement those standards [and we want to advocate the use of play to meet the standards].” 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/play-based-learning/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240724T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240724T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240530T214453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240729T070939Z
UID:247714-1721824200-1721829600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Building Brighter Futures: National Funders Share Insights on Place-Based Strategies
DESCRIPTION:“This conversation is really about improving outcomes for kids and families. That’s the main thing that we’re focused on in closing gaps in grade-level reading. So\, the focus has to be on identifying the bevy of resources that are necessary for that and the resources do not just include money. They include voice. They include value. They include people. What resources are evident and prevalent in the individual community that we can bring together to really resolve some of these challenges that for generations have continued to plague communities?”                        \n  —Thomas Parker\, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation \n\n  \n\n\n\n\nIn this funder-focused GLR Week 2024 session\, Thomas Parker of Charles Stewart Mott Foundation shared the above reflection as he discussed the Foundation’s education work in Flint\, Michigan. Thank you for registering for this inspiring and engaging discussion! \nDuring the session\, Debra Jacobs of The Patterson Foundation moderated a robust conversation with national funders about the work they are doing in their hometowns to support early child development and to close the kindergarten entry gap. The panel featured:  \n\nDeirdre Johnson Burel\, Ed.D.\, discussing the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s ecosystem and system-building efforts to make New Orleans\, Louisiana\, a “child-centered city\,” including the recent successful local ballot initiative that secured $21 million in annual property tax revenue to support infant and toddler care. \nJonathan Hui discussing The Kresge Foundation’s efforts to foster neighborhood environments across Detroit\, Michigan\, where families can thrive and experience educational opportunity\, highlighting its innovative Marygrove Early Education Center in northwest Detroit.\nThomas Parker discussing the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation’s efforts to weave together policy\, practice and innovation using a whole-child/whole-community approach in Flint\, Michigan\, including recent successes in securing state funding for pre-K for all\, community college for all and a citywide guaranteed basic income program for pregnant/new moms called Rx Kids. \nRubye Sullivan\, Ph.D.\, discussing the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s efforts to advance equitable education outcomes in Atlanta\, Georgia\, by working to “change the odds” rather than continuing to ask children and families to “beat the odds” as outlined in a recent report by the Foundation.  \n\n\n“For us\, it really starts with place. What drives our strategy are the priorities of place. What drives how we interact with our partners is rooted in the relationships that exist in place. And I think that’s important because we believe that families experience opportunity\, that families experience everything\, in the context of place.” \n— Jonathan Hui\, The Kresge Foundation \n\nIn an inspiring and passionate discourse\, the panelists discussed the importance of strong\, trusting relationships with community residents and partners. They stressed that fostering this kind of relationship requires listening\, committing to the work over the long haul and being present in community. Parker stated\, “Those interpersonal components are really important in terms of how the Mott Foundation sits in Flint as a ‘shoulder partner’ with a number of other funders and community-based organizations\, how we prioritize communication and collaboration to ensure that those relationships are solid and strong.” They also discussed the importance of using both qualitative and quantitative data to identify issues to address and measure progress toward shared goals and to make the case for increased public investments and policy changes.   \nWhile the conversation focused on education in the early years\, panelists noted how education was interconnected with economic opportunity and healthy neighborhoods. Sullivan noted\, “Life happens at the intersection of those three things. Without us working together [to address all three]\, we cannot make the changes on behalf of the community members that we represent. So\, it’s very important that we think about all three collectively.” They also stressed the importance of communicating the work and the story with an asset-frame that amplifies the work of partners and grantees and the neighborhood conditions and process that enabled the successes.  \n\n“The communications need to not only explain what we’re doing and why we’re doing it but also where the solution may have come from…and how we got there. Process is important for us as we think about how to take a solution that happens on a small scale and spread that. It’s the process part that’s often missing. Like how did we get there? How would you replicate a similar process?” \n—Rubye Sullivan\, Ph.D.\, Annie E. Casey Foundation \n\nThe panelists discussed the challenges that keep them up at night with Parker reflecting on what he called a “polycrisis” where multiple challenges are affecting children and families all at one time — housing\, health and education — and wrestling with the opportunity costs associated with choosing one to go deep on as opposed to spreading efforts across them all.  \nWhile acknowledging the challenges\, the panelists ended on a hopeful note\, sharing where they see opportunities for working in partnership with residents and community partners to advance their shared goals.  \n\n“Yes\, the pandemic did open and create incredible challenges\, but inside those challenges have also been incredible opportunities. We’ve also seen our nation’s ability to respond in unprecedented ways. We are in an amazing time to be doing this work. Even as we grapple with old challenges with some new tools and solutions\, there couldn’t be a better time to be doing this work. Possibility is on the horizon. Lean into collaboration. Lean into listening and let’s do this work together.”  \n— Deirdre Johnson Burel\, Ed.D.\, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/glr-week-funders/
CATEGORIES:Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Past Event,Readiness
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240724T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240724T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053223
CREATED:20240530T214718Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240806T213839Z
UID:247716-1721833200-1721838600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The Influence of Social-Emotional Learning: Closing Literacy Gaps in the Classroom
DESCRIPTION:Natalie Walrond of WestEd served as the moderator\, introducing the webinar’s focus on aligning research\, policy and practice to integrate social and emotional well-being with language acquisition and literacy. She discussed the evolving definition of SEL\, emphasizing its evidence-based nature and the importance of ecological approaches to education. \nAttendees first heard from Christina Cipriano\, Ph.D.\, at Yale University who introduced her work at the Education Collaboratory at the Yale Child Study Center. Cipriano explained that their lab focuses on three main areas: centering marginalized students and educators in SEL\, advancing the science and practice of evidence synthesis\, and evolving assessment methodologies within SEL. She shared findings from their research\, demonstrating that SEL benefits students academically\, behaviorally and emotionally. \n“The evidence is clear\, and we have overwhelming evidence to the positive effects and benefits on academic achievement of contemporary social-emotional learning. Explicit social-emotional learning does increase students’ literacy and math achievement in both their grade point averages and their test scores.” — Christina Cipriano\, Ph.D. \nNext\, Lakeisha Steele with the Collaborative for Academic\, Social\, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) emphasized the effectiveness of SEL when integrated into instruction\, school culture and policies\, noting improved academic achievements\, mental health\, social skills and perceptions of school climate. Steele then introduced CASEL’s SEL and Literacy Initiative\, aimed at addressing the literacy crisis by exploring the role of SEL in literacy development. Collaborating with leading researchers\, CASEL developed a white paper advocating for an integrated approach to literacy and SEL\, providing policy recommendations to enhance literacy instruction and teacher development. \n“We have this initiative that really propels the science of social-emotional learning and literacy and [shows] how extremely linked they are. If we actually harness the full breadth of research\, we can better inform instruction\, better prepare teachers going into the classrooms\, and better serve our students to ensure that they are actually graduating\, and that they are graduating to a world where they are successful and they have a full command of reading and literacy to serve them well over the course of their lives.” — Lakeisha Steele \nLastly\, attendees heard from Carol D. Lee\, Ph.D.\, of Northwestern University who emphasized the deep connection between social-emotional development and literacy\, arguing that integrating social-emotional learning into classroom instruction is essential\, rather than treating it as a separate\, end-of-day activity. Lee highlighted the intertwined nature of thinking\, feeling and perceiving\, and the necessity of considering these aspects in creating robust learning environments. At the heart of Lee’s presentation was the importance of social and emotional well-being in human development\, drawing from various scientific disciplines\, including human development\, learning sciences\, psychology and neuroscience. \n“We know that when human infants are born\, they pay more attention to human faces than they do objects. Why? Because as a species\, we understand that attachments with other people\, relationships with other human beings and\, for that matter\, with the natural world\, are going to be essential.” — Carol D. Lee\, Ph.D.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/glr-week-sel/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240530T214945Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240730T012924Z
UID:247718-1721910600-1721916000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Ready on Day One: Strategies and Tools to Support CGLR Community Coalitions With School Success
DESCRIPTION:In our GLR Week session specially designed to unite CGLR community coalitions\, community and state leads\, partners and funders\, we hosted a robust conversation with local field experts and practitioners about strategies and tools that have proven results. \nWe engaged with and learned from CGLR community and state leads who are directly addressing equitable learning and opportunity gaps with coordinated strategies and tools. Three breakout rooms were used to cover the topics of 1) high-impact tutoring\, 2) school attendance and 3) community supports and services. During the session\, attendees will choose one of the three discussion groups to dive deeper into how the strategies are applied directly in the field.  \n\n\n\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n\nHigh-Dosage Tutoring \n\n\n\n\nCGLR acknowledges the significant gains high-impact tutoring offers to children who need extra support and has hosted several GLR Learning Tuesdays webinars about this topic. This BLOG post on CGLR’s LEO website offers key takeaways that contribute to successful tutoring programs. The breakout room about high-impact tutoring will share two incredible strategies happening in the CGLR communities of St. Louis\, Missouri\, and Tupelo/Lee Counties\, Mississippi. \n\n\nSchool Attendance \n\n\n\n\nAttendance Works\, a national nonprofit and long-standing partner to the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading\, launched its annual Attendance Awareness Campaign this past spring with a theme of “Be Present\, Be Powerful.” Join this breakout room conversation to learn more about how school leaders in Yuma\, Arizona\, and members of the Community Schools network in Lehigh Valley\, Pennsylvania\, are applying this theme and ensuring children and families have what they need to attend school every day. \n\n\nCommunity Services and Supports \n\n\n\n\nCGLR’s 2023–2026 Civic Action and Advocacy Agenda provides a call to action toward taking these steps to address equitable learning: 1) promoting out-of-school learning by making learning-rich environments community-wide\, abundant and ubiquitous; 2) strengthening kindergarten into a more sturdy bridge between the early years and early grades; 3) partnering with public housing agencies and school districts to build the 24/7/365/2Gen “surround-sound” system of care\, services and supports; and 4) expanding and scaling promising programs around high-dosage tutoring. This breakout room will explore how these actions can be brought to implementation as families prepare their children for school.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/glr-week-community/
CATEGORIES:Crucible of Practice Salon,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240725T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240530T215132Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240730T010326Z
UID:247721-1721919600-1721925000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:AI’s Gap-Closing Potential: Emerging Opportunities and Challenges
DESCRIPTION:AI is not to replace teachers. AI is not going to replace the need for critical thinking. It is here to augment and enhance\, hopefully lighten teachers’ loads\, enable them to claim back their nights and weekends so that teachers can spend more of their time building those student relationships\, have more humanity in the classroom.…We’re in a world where AI is going to stay. We’re never going to go back to a world without AI. So please teach\, teach us how our students can think critically with AI\, harness these tools and enable them to learn\, work and thrive in a world with AI. – Eirene Chen\, Khan Academy  \n\nIn this GLR Week 2024 webinar\, Sal Khan of Khan Academy highlighted AI’s capability to provide personalized\, interactive tutoring and learning opportunities that can help alleviate student frustration and foster a deeper understanding of subjects such as math and coding. Kip Glazer of Mountain View High School added that AI tools can make subjects such as art and robotics more engaging and manageable for students. Glazer shared\, “I walk into the classroom\, and I see my civics teachers using AI as a study aid for students to engage in a discourse….I’ve seen my art teachers using it to generate images and compare it with masterpieces to discuss creativity and copyright.” Students are using AI inside and outside of the classroom. According to Amina Fazlullah of Common Sense\, half of young people ages 14 to 22 have used generative AI at some point in their lives already\, “helping with schoolwork\, making pictures or images\, making sounds or music\, writing code.”  \nMeanwhile\, Heather Schwartz of RAND emphasized that while AI adoption among teachers is still low\, its potential to aid in lesson planning and classroom management could be transformative. Khan Academy’s Stacie Johnson elaborated on the various ways AI can support teachers\, from administrative tasks to providing insights into student progress\, thus reducing workload and stress. The overall consensus was that AI could significantly enhance teacher effectiveness and contribute to their well-being by streamlining various aspects of their workload.   \nHowever\, a critical concern raised during the webinar was the disparity in AI access. Fazlullah pointed out that only a small percentage of students use AI regularly (4% daily and 12% once or twice per month). She added that the most “common uses of generative AI by young people are for getting information and for brainstorming. So this is where the quality and the efficacy of AI systems used by students and kids is really critical\, because they are turning to these systems for facts\, for information and having systems that are able to sort of stop at the water’s edge and make sure that they’re careful about how they’re supporting and not doing the work for students is” key. Schwartz echoed this concern saying\, “We have already seen that suburban districts are more likely than rural and especially urban districts to have trained their teachers about use of AI for teaching. And that’s a gap that we don’t want to see grow or remain.” Fazlullah noted\, “There’s also an opportunity right now to make sure that we are empowering educators and folks who are doing the procurement at the administrative level with information ahead of time about these technologies.”  \nFinally\, the discussion turned to how CGLR communities can advocate for early access to AI\, stay focused on the gaps and assure that students aren’t left further behind in the emergence of this technology. Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union said\, “It’s really important from the parent\, family and community perspective that educators\, districts\, administrators make sure that they’re not doing this to us and to our children….We want everybody to be trained and have equitable access to these incredible tools. But making sure that you’re doing that in community with the people that you’re serving is very important.” Pat Yongpradit of Code.org and #TeachAI shared\, “If you’re out there and you’re a leader and you’re trying to figure out how do you lead while learning yourself\, this toolkit is for you….This toolkit was created to help leaders guide their systems while learning themselves.” You can access the toolkit in the resources below. But more than that\, it’s about creating an opportunity for “everyone to be able to explore in a safe and responsible manner\,” according to Eirene Chen of Khan Academy\, by “teach[ing] us how our students can think critically with AI\, harness these tools and enable them to kind of like learn\, work and thrive in a world with AI.” 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/glr-week-ai/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240730T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240730T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240715T022437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240802T065246Z
UID:248342-1722351600-1722357000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:REBROADCAST - Implementation\, Replication\, Fidelity: How to REALLY Scale High-Impact Tutoring
DESCRIPTION:This April 16\, 2024 GLR Learning Tuesdays Big Bets Working discussion was a follow-on to our session from January 16\, 2024\, where we explored the evidence and examples that demonstrate how and how much high-impact tutoring is advancing students along the learning continuum. In this week’s session\, we built on these ideas by investigating what it really takes to implement a successful tutoring program by unpacking specific elements\, such as establishing programs in partnership with or within a school system; recruiting\, training and retaining tutors;  and\, importantly\, building relationships at all levels and especially with students.   \nModerator Kevin Huffman of Accelerate first framed the conversation by discussing what scale actually looks like\, how we know that not enough students are currently receiving tutoring and what achieving scale would mean. Huffman engaged Eric Duncan\, J.D.\, of Education Trust and Patrick Steck of Deans for Impact in a consideration of this definition of scale. They shared their perspectives on what they have seen across the country in terms of quality implementation and how districts and states have identified students most in need\, matched them with tutors and tracked their participation and progress — all key strategies to achieving scale. Duncan pushed further on how important collecting data and tracking progress are to achieving scale and impact:  \nWhen trying to scale tutoring up to the state level\, it is important to provide national resources and infrastructure for folks to really engage in targeted intensive tutoring using data and information about their student populations….Saying\, ‘How can we make sure that we have a systemic approach to providing tutors and the key components for the additional instruction needed?’ That’s necessary to reach as many of those students as we possibly can.   \nHuffman then engaged with national\, state and local experts leading broad tutoring initiatives to discuss the strategies and tactics they are using to implement and scale high-impact tutoring across all districts in one state — with very different demographics — across multiple states and across districts in one city. Tess Yates of the Tennessee State Department of Education and TNAllCorps\, Adeola Whitney of Reading Partners\, Maryellen Leneghan of Saga Education and David Weinstein of Joyful Readers in Philadelphia discussed how they recruit and support tutors\, carefully train them and match them with students based on student learning needs\, and use data to track student progress. All discussed the critical importance of building relationships as the foundation for successful tutoring. Weinstein captured what it looks like in his Joyful Readers program:  \nAnd I think for us\, what’s enabling some of the success is those relationships. I haven’t been to a tutoring session yet where I haven’t seen a kid be super excited to get started with a tutor. In the hallways\, there are kids in every grade\, K to 3\, who are stopping and hugging the tutor\, and\, you know\, kind of want to be with them\, and that happens from that exposure\, that proximity that they’re with them every day. And that same thing relates to our teachers\, who have the opportunity to get to know our tutors\, to partner with them deeply. 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/rebroadcast-implementation-replication-fidelity-how-to-really-scale-high-impact-tutoring/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240806T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240806T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240715T024059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240809T155519Z
UID:248357-1722956400-1722961800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:REBROADCAST - Not Without Teachers: Intentional Teacher Development for Improved Student Outcomes
DESCRIPTION:“Teachers want to do right by their students\, and they want to teach using the most evidence-based literacy strategies….So what they need are high-quality professional learning opportunities to specifically collaborate with peers as they work to incorporate new techniques into their classrooms.” – Kira Orange Jones\, Teach Plus \n\nTeachers are the front line in turning curricula and instructional material into learning. Their effectiveness is key in learning and addressing the learning recovery need that the pandemic highlighted. During this Learning Tuesdays session\, Cynthia Hadicke\, Ed.D.\, of AIM Institute for Learning and Research acknowledged that we are having a teacher crisis\, with many veteran teachers leaving the field. Meanwhile\, more and more teachers are coming to the field through alternate certification\, and with this\, it is important that these teachers “understand the depth and complexity of teaching reading.” Jill Hoda of the Mississippi Department of Education added\, “We have to have courageous conversations and look at the ways things were done and how things should be done.” In addition\, she said\, “We need to make sure that not only new teachers but also veteran teachers are grounded in the science of reading.” \nKira Orange Jones of Teach Plus shared a preview of data from the organization’s recent survey of over 300 elementary literacy teachers across 24 states who indicated that they “have received more training in\, feel more comfortable with\, and are spending more time on vocabulary and reading comprehension than they do on phonics\, phonemic awareness and fluency….Almost 40% of teachers surveyed report that they do not receive currently any job-embedded coaching that supports their instruction in teaching all five of the pillars of reading.” \nElizabeth “Liz” Woody-Remington of The Learning Alliance in Indian River County\, Florida\, explained that it’s not simply training that teachers need. It’s the support of the translation science\, which is “job-embedded professional development that is collaborative\, intentional and sustained.” In this session\, we also heard success stories of how states\, districts and schools are implementing this in Mississippi\, Louisiana and Florida. \nIn Mississippi\, they have used the AIM pathways as the foundation for their science of reading training\, providing tiered and regional options that are open to teachers\, coaches and administrators. They have implemented a coaching model that includes comprehensive coach training\, which Hadicke describes as “a non-evaluative piece of the puzzle where teachers have the chance to learn\, practice and apply” skills. Mississippi has seen their NAEP 4th Grade Reading National Ranking move from 50th to 21st between 2013 and 2022. \nIn Jefferson Parish\, the largest district in Louisiana\, they are seeing significant progress also using the AIM pathways. Jones says about this work\, “this is actually possible\, because this proves it can happen at scale….The work that districts and states have taken on in partnership with education doesn’t have to remain an outlier example\, but rather could become the norm.” Jones\, continued adding\, “While initially we\, of course\, believe that experts need to be positioned to drive this type of \nprofessional learning\, what we have found is that teachers trust other teachers the most. And they trust them to provide professional learning and to essentially be responsible for leading continuous improvement efforts and professional learning communities to help teachers incorporate new skills into their practice.” \nLeslie Connelly of the School District of Indian River County\, Florida\, and The Learning Alliance described a program at the Moonshot School in Indian River that they launched with a weeklong summer institute on the science of reading for teachers\, which was attended by 85% of the staff. They have also given their staff extended collaborative planning time — two hours every week plus an additional five hours once every six weeks through a creative special schedule. The Moonshot School also opened demonstration classrooms that are always open for lesson studies and for teachers and coaches to collaborate to improve their practice. There is “buy in from the top level down and everybody gets coached. So\, it’s a very systematic coaching model here….We’re that hub of learning\,” said Connelly.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/rebroadcast-not-without-teachers-intentional-teacher-development-for-improved-student-outcomes/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240813T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240813T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240715T025448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240819T055911Z
UID:248364-1723561200-1723566600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:REBROADCAST - Education Recovery Scorecard: Results and Implications
DESCRIPTION:During the April 9\, 2024 GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, The Education Recovery Scorecard: Results and Implications\, John Gomperts with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading moderated a conversation exploring the results and implications of the Education Recovery Scorecard. The scorecard captured the academic performance of elementary and middle school students across 30 states in the 2022–2023 school year to understand progress in post-pandemic academic recovery in schools. \nSean Reardon\, Ed.D.\, with Stanford Graduation School of Education and Tom Kane\, Ph.D.\, with Harvard Graduate School of Education were the two lead researchers on the Scorecard and discussed key findings and considerations. Reardon shared the mixed news that students made significant gains in academic progress last school year\, yet inequality of performance widened between students from lower-income and higher-income families. Kane directed attendees to four challenges for post-pandemic academic recovery in U.S. schools: the rise in chronic absenteeism; parents’ underestimation of learning loss; the variation of strategies across districts yielding diverse results; and understanding and meeting the scale and intensity of efforts required to help students catch up academically. Kane then called on states to “step up” with funding and support to districts when the federal funding distributed during the pandemic expires in September. \nThree superintendents who have led strong academic recovery in their districts then shared key strategies and approaches they applied to realize this progress. Adrienne Battle\, Ed.D.\, of Metro Nashville Public Schools described a “doubling down” on what works\, including tier-1 instruction\, high-quality instructional materials\, high-dosage tutoring and wraparound services. She also highlighted the district’s mantra of “every student known” and the corresponding personalized student dashboards to understand where every student is academically at any time. Tony B. Watlington Sr.\, Ed.D.\, of the School District of Philadelphia listed his district’s priorities for academic recovery that included student and teacher attendance\, high-quality curriculum and teacher professional development. Mark A. Sullivan\, Ed.D.\, of Birmingham City Schools shared how he added instructional time to the calendar by creating week-long intersessions and encouraging students who were furthest behind academically to attend. These intersessions included academics and enrichment\, and the district successfully recruited about one-third of its students to attend the last round\, contributing to academic recovery. They also invested in tutoring and staffed classrooms with peer professionals for more individualized instruction\, among other strategies. \nCommissioner Susana Cordova\, Ed.D.\, of the Colorado Department of Education offered a state-level perspective on the ways her office has offered support to districts post-pandemic for continued academic recovery\, including through tackling chronic absenteeism and working to “triangulate with data to make sure the services we’re offering are aligned to the needs that we see in the field.” Finally\, Adam Schott with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education talked about federal funding that the administration would continue to aim to increase\, including Title I and Full-Service Community Schools\, to support sustained academic recovery once the additional federal funds from the pandemic expire. And he urged states and districts to continue their partnership and collaboration with governors\, mayors and community partners to build the political will and champion the investments necessary to continue recovery. \n  \n 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/rebroadcast-education-recovery-scorecard-results-and-implications/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240820T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240820T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240718T180208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240825T223433Z
UID:248410-1724166000-1724171400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:REBROADCAST - Connecting Communities: National and Local Partners Linking Families to the Internet
DESCRIPTION:This rebroadcast begins with comments from Amina Fazlullah of Common Sense providing updates on the current state of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Since the program lapsed in May 2024\, many Internet Service Providers (ISP) have stepped up to help fill gaps. Additionally\, there is a new bi-partisan effort in the house and senate that would allow the ACP to resume. Fazulallah concludes her updates with a call to action: contact your member of congress today to advocate for the ACP.   \nBefore its lapse\, there were 22.5 million households connected or relying on ACP to be able to afford home connectivity. Andrew Spector of The Patterson Foundation explained that organizations and initiatives like Patterson’s Digital Access for All initiative began training Digital Navigators and partnering with schools\, community centers\, libraries and nonprofits to reach households in their communities.   \nIn many places\, both urban and rural\, it became clear that there was another barrier — a lack of broadband access\, so communities became creative. Michael Calabrese of New America and Adeyinka Ogunlegan\, Esq.\, of EducationSuperHighway shared creative solutions: putting Wi-Fi hotspots on the streetlights\, using schools as towers\, installing Wi-Fi in apartment buildings much like we find in hotels\, adding Wi-Fi to buses that are strategically parked to provide service after school and on weekends\, and connecting households to schools’ Wi-Fi. These examples confirm that universal connectivity is possible. However\, it is a possibility that we have not yet reached.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/connecting-communities-rebroadcast/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240827T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240827T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053224
CREATED:20240718T182625Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240829T180909Z
UID:248414-1724770800-1724776200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:REBROADCAST - Emergent Bilinguals and English Language Learners: The Sturdy Bridge
DESCRIPTION:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1.30.24-Bilingual-K-Slides-1.pdf\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				“We do this work because we believe in the cultural\, linguistic\, intellectual brilliance of our country’s diverse children\, and we deeply understand that our schools were not adequately designed to serve these children. Yet\, we know that when schooling builds upon the assets\, the lived experiences and the funds of knowledge\, honoring family and community cultures and developing home languages\, children thrive.” \nIn the first of GLR Learning Tuesdays new Kindergarten Matters webinar series\, CGLR partnered with Sobrato Philanthropies. In the above quote\, Anya Hurwitz of Sobrato Early Academic Learning (SEAL) emphasized the inherent potential of our country’s diverse children and underscored a need for the evolution of our schools to better serve emergent bilinguals. \nKarla Ruiz with Sobrato Philanthropies moderated the conversation and set the scene for the importance of utilizing kindergarten as a foundational stage for ensuring that essential elements seamlessly integrate into the broader educational journey of each child. \n“It’s become really clear how important it is in this moment\, where so much is happening in education\, to leverage kindergarten as that sturdy bridge between early learning — where developmental\, culturally responsible practices and family engagement are really core — and the later grades\,” Ruiz reflected. \nRuiz first engaged Melissa Castillo\, Ed.D.\, of the Office of the Secretary within the U.S. Department of Education in a discussion about Secretary Miguel Cardona’s Raise the Bar Initiative\, launched with the intention of lifting up three goals to achieve academic excellence\, boldly improve learning conditions and create pathways for global engagement. Castillo then discussed the “three key levers” aimed at providing every student with a pathway to multilingual wisdom: equitable access for English learners\, a diversified bilingual/multilingual educator workforce and quality bilingual education for all. Before closing\, Castillo directed attendees to visit NCELA.ED.GOV to access over 57\,000 resources\, including the English Learner Family Toolkit\, designed to help families and educators stay connected with tips\, tools and resources to help navigate the education system. \n“At the Department\, we want to model and exemplify what it means to ensure that families and students have access [to resources] in a language that they understand\,” Castillo closed. \nRuiz then engaged Anya Hurwitz in a discussion about SEAL’s P–3 Framework\, which “aims to help the field more fully center multilingual learner/English learner students.” Hurwitz spoke to the development of the P–3 Framework\, referring to the significant and growing population of English learners in California and across the nation. The P–3 Framework\, Hurwitz explained\, was developed to provide “research-based\, joyful\, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction pathways across the P–3 continuum.” Hurwitz explained that the Framework includes Eight Key Understandings and Eleven Overarching Principles\, which help guide readers in addressing and dismantling the long history of exclusion and inequity regarding language status. She said\, “We are still operating within systems that were built in deeply inequitable ways.” \nHurwitz closed with a powerful reminder about the importance of kindergarten as an entry point to this work: “Our English learners experience tremendous language loss when a kindergartner walks into school for the first time\, and they are told to leave their language and culture at the door. Implicitly or explicitly\, language loss begins immediately….It is our hope that leaders will use the framework to reflect on their systems and practices and that it can be a tool for learning\, planning and implementing.” \nRuiz then engaged with Shantel Meek\, Ph.D.\, of The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University\, who provided a reminder to attendees that “dual language education is an issue of equity and civil rights” because “if we don’t provide dual language education\, we’re initiating a disadvantage for a large population of children from the start.” Meek went on to share data that reflected that English learners who have access to dual language education become more proficient in English more quickly\, they outperform their peers in other subject areas\, they reach academic norms\, they exit English learner designation faster\, and they\, of course\, become biliterate. To expand on this importance\, Meek referred to multiple economic studies that point to the success of biliterate individuals in our global economy. \n“We have lots of data on the benefits of bilingualism. We know that ELs and DLs are bringing this gift from home. Instead of aligning with that research and that science\, we’re doing the opposite\, where in this nation\, about 92% of ELs are not in dual language programs….This is one of the most profound misalignments that we see\,” concluded Meek. \nLastly\, attendees heard from Lydia Acosta Stephens with the Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department in the Los Angeles Unified School District. As a renowned former principal in LAUSD\, Stephens spoke to the importance of witnessing the Framework and approaches in practice. She stated\, “My dream would be that in our country\, from that moment of first enrollment\, [the family] is congratulated for having another language at home.” Expanding off that vision\, Stephens spoke to the work she does in the Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department\, in which LAUSD delivers Biliteracy Pathway Awards to families starting in their learner’s kindergarten year\, all the way through 12th grade. Stephens shared that the implementation of the SEAL P–3 Framework has furthered their success in this program\, leading to over 20\,000 awards being issued. \n“What is your role in everything that we do from the moment a child comes into our public education system? Because when that child walks onto campus…all of those spaces should be validated from their Indigenous language. Tell me more. I want to hear you speak in your home language\, teach me a few phrases….We’ve been missing the human piece of it\,” stressed Stephens.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/emergent-bilinguals-rebroadcast/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240903T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240903T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20240813T072043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T062351Z
UID:248545-1725375600-1725381000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Starting School With Success: How Summer Learning Closes Gaps in the Early Years
DESCRIPTION:As is well known\, CGLR has long emphasized summer learning as a primary strategy for advancing early school success. We have advocated for the expansion of summer learning opportunities across communities and increased access for children from economically challenged families. Since the school closures necessitated by the pandemic\, it became even more urgent to make the most of learning during the summer months. Significant federal funding responded to this urgency\, which has been bolstered by national and local philanthropy. These investments have led to successful new and expanded programs that are reaching many more children. In this week’s session\, we had the chance to explore a few of these programs and their impact.  \nModerator and summer learning champion Natalia Sol of the National Summer Learning Association introduced the discussion with a deep exploration of Bloomberg Philanthropy’s Summer Boost program and its recently released evaluation. Caitlin Hannon of Building Impact Partners shared the history of the program’s development and the expansion across seven cities\, enabled by support from Bloomberg. Jackie Taslim of the Lavinia Group discussed their innovative curriculum\, Rise Summer Learning\, which includes assessment tools that were used across several sites and enabled an in-depth evaluation. Geoffrey Borman\, Ph.D.\, of the Mary Lou Felton Teachers College at Arizona State University\, who was the lead researcher on the evaluation\, unpacked the findings that demonstrate how students engaged in Summer Boost achieved significant gains in math and English Language Arts and experienced academic recovery across demographics and education levels. Hannon captured what worked so well about Summer Boost and the Rise curriculum and why summer is a valuable time to learn outside of school:  \n“One nice thing that’s tied directly to the Rise curriculum is the ability to go narrow and deep\, whereas any of us who’ve been in the classroom know that it’s just like\, let’s just keep going\, gotta keep going. We gotta go. We covered that last week. We gotta cover this this week. [Yet in the summer\, you have the ability to] look at those foundational skills and go as deep as you can.”  \nSol then engaged with three local and national leaders who are effectively engaging the youngest learners in summer learning as they move into kindergarten and through the early grades of elementary school. Liz Obara Piedramartel\, Ph.D.\, of the Patterson Park Public Charter School in Baltimore shared her experience operating the Summer Boost program and the results gained by her students and talked about how her school provides preparation for kindergarten. Kelli Marshall of The Mind Trust in Indianapolis discussed their “Indy Summer Learning Labs” and the key aspect of teacher professional development that makes their program so successful. April Porter of Waterford shared details of their Upstart K–3 Summer Learning Path and the key role that parents and families play in engaging young learners in academics and enrichment during the summertime. Porter also highlighted a key concept that many are realizing when it comes to the concept of “kindergarten readiness”:  \n“You hear kindergarten ready\, kindergarten and kindergarten readiness. I often feel like the conversations sound like all the responsibilities fall on a family to be ready or even on the child to be ready. And I just think\, whether as organizations implementing\, studying\, funding\, how do we really shift our perspective and go deeper on what does it mean for districts to be ready? What does it mean for community-based organizations to be ready? I think we need deeper reflection on what it means to be ready for everybody.” 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/starting-school-with-success-how-summer-learning-closes-gaps-in-the-early-years/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20240821T055018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T220853Z
UID:248573-1726576200-1726581600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:When Disaster Hits: Philanthropic Responses to Natural and Man-made Disasters
DESCRIPTION:“Let’s stop treating disasters as extraordinary and start building structures and processes for when the next disaster will happen — not if\, but when. I can’t stress enough the importance of the convening role of the funder\, both to bring nonprofits together and also to work together as funders.”  – Lauress L.W. Lawrence\, M.Div\, Ph.D.\, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation \n\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				In the September 17\, 2024 Funder–to–Funder Conversation\, Lauress L.W. Lawrence\, M.Div\, Ph.D.\, of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation in Freeport\, Maine\, offered the above call to action during a session that explored the ways in which philanthropy can help communities prepare for\, prevent and mitigate disasters\, as well as nurture equitable recovery and resiliency in their aftermath.   \nAnne C. Kubisch\, formerly with The Ford Family Foundation in Oregon\, moderated the conversation\, beginning by sharing her own learning process about the need to prepare for disasters in advance:  \n\n“There was a moment about five years into my tenure when one of my program officers came to me and said\, ‘Anne\, I think every year you have been here\, we have had some kind of disaster. We have had a mass shooting\, the worst forest fires in Oregon history\, flooding. Rather than thinking about emergency response as a one-off thing\, perhaps we should think about developing our own internal capacity for preparing\, responding and supporting recovery because we know that this is going to happen routinely from here forward.’”  –  Anne C. Kubisch  \n\nKubisch and Lawrence were joined by Justina Acevedo-Cross of the Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF)\, Sharad Aggarwal of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) and Maria Juarez Stouffer of Children’s Services Council of Broward County\, Florida. Echoing what Kubisch shared about the recurring nature of disasters\, Acevedo-Cross\, Stouffer and Lawrence shared their respective communities’ experiences with disasters in recent years\, including floods\, hurricanes\, lava flows\, the pandemic and wildfires in Hawai’i; hurricanes\, flooding\, community gun violence and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida; and flooding\, severe weather incidents\, the pandemic and the Lewiston mass shooting in Maine.  \nAcevedo-Cross described how HCF adopted a four-phase approach to disaster response\, beginning with community readiness\, rapid relief and response\, recovery and stabilization and rebuilding resilience. Having that approach in place positioned them to respond quickly to last year’s wildfires on Maui.   \n\n“We set up what are called Strong Funds ahead of disasters so on August 8\, [2023\,] when the Maui fires took hold\, we were able to activate those quickly. Meaning that we had funds coming in less than 24 hours and our first $1 million went out the door within the first 48 hours….One of the things I want to really double down on is how much work you can do ahead of time to have those conversations about what role you’re playing as a funder and what role someone else might be better equipped to play.”  – Justina Acevedo-Cross  \n\nAggarwal explained how CDP functions as an intermediary to inform and enhance the work of philanthropic leaders across the globe in responding equitably across the whole “arc” of disasters from preparedness through rebuilding and recovery.   \n\n“Philanthropy has a privileged position to raise issues that aren’t often talked about: What are those values that we want to promote? Who are the communities that don’t usually get the attention that they deserve? We really want to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.”  –  Sharad Aggarwal  \n\nIn a robust and thoughtful conversation\, the panelists discussed the importance of philanthropy:   \n\nCreating a plan and process for response before a disaster strikes and building collaborative relationships with other funders and with grantees; \nLooking for opportunities to strengthen systems and addressing underlying inequities that are often exacerbated by disasters; \nEmbracing the “more than money” roles that philanthropy can play\, including convening funders and partners before and after disasters\, being a catalyst for systems change to support long-term resiliency\, and advocating for increased attention to “low attention” disasters that might not receive the media focus and response of other high-profile disasters; \nProviding flexibility in grantmaking to allow grantees to reallocate funds and support rapid response efforts and be nimble to new issues and demands; \nRecognizing traumas caused by disasters and the long-term mental health implications of that kind of trauma\, especially for communities facing repeated disasters;  \nTaking a holistic and multidimensional approach to address the housing\, health care\, education and social services impacts of a disaster;  \nFunctioning as an information and coordination hub after disasters happen to lessen confusion and ensure families and partners know where and how to access resources; and \nListening to the community\, meeting them where they are\, and embracing shared decision-making to ensure work is community-driven and community-led. \n\n\n“We listen closely to the communities that we serve\, and that’s really important. I can’t stress that enough. Each community\, even each neighborhood\, might have different needs\, and it’s important to know what they are and to listen to them to meet them where they are.”   –   Maria Juarez Stouffer  \n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/disaster-philanthropy/
CATEGORIES:Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Health,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20240821T055355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241023T023026Z
UID:248574-1726585200-1726590600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Locked Out of Literacy: Tackling the Illiteracy Crisis Together
DESCRIPTION:The documentary Sentenced explores the devastating impact of illiteracy on children and families across the United States and sheds light on how illiteracy\, especially when compounded by generational poverty\, can trap individuals in cycles of hardship from a young age. During this week’s GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, Locked Out of Literacy: Tackling the Illiteracy Crisis Together\, our panel discussed the documentary with Jeff Martin\, producer of the film and with the Children’s Literacy Project. Martin describes the film as more than just a documentary on illiteracy. It underscores how illiteracy\, paired with poverty\, creates what Martin referred to as a “toxic” environment for children\, with the film’s title itself reflecting that many kids are “sentenced” to failure before they even have a chance to succeed​. Moderator Joy Thomas Moore with CGLR added that the power of the film lies in its ability not just to tell a story but to engage and challenge viewers\, noting\, “The beauty is its power. It has the power to engage\, to inform\, to influence and even change minds and hearts.”  \nEach sector represented in the panel — faith\, philanthropy\, nonprofit and education — highlighted the critical role each can play in addressing the literacy crisis. Reverend Leonard L. Hamlin\, Sr.\, D. Min.\, of the Washington National Cathedral emphasized the importance of the faith community\, urging it to reclaim its historical role in education\, stating\, “The faith community gets to see up close and personal the issues of a child being left behind….This allows us to not only see the current situation\, but ask\, what will our future look like if we don’t act right now?” \nChris Helfrich of Eat. Learn. Play. explained why Stephen and Ayesha Curry have invested heavily in literacy\, particularly in Oakland\, stating\, “It took a lot of listening and research\, but once we really understood how important it is for kids to become confident\, strong readers at the right ages\, it was a no-brainer.” \nDavid Moore\, Ed.D.\, from the School District of Indian River County in Florida added\, “Literacy is not solely taught within the confines of a classroom. It is taught across the entire community. And the not-for-profits that exist to support students should not be on the outside of a school system but should be integrated in the work that we collectively do.” And so these many sectors have united in this work.  \nCGLR partners and communities can actively support literacy by collaborating with schools\, faith groups and local organizations. Martin encouraged using the documentary as a catalyst for action\, saying\, “This film was made for you.…We hope you fundraise with it\, recruit volunteers with it and invite your mayors and school board leaders to see it.” He highlighted the need for communities to “use the film to advance the cause” and to involve key stakeholders in addressing literacy challenges​. Together\, these efforts show that literacy is not just the responsibility of educators but a collective mission that can transform communities. \n“At the end of the day\, we have to all believe that we can be great. We can do this…if we start thinking about helping our kids read and that in turn helps our nation thrive\, then we can do this.” – Joy Thomas Moore.  \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nIf you were able to attend the session\, we would love to hear your feedback on the session. We appreciate your help in filling out the following form as we seek to learn and understand the perspectives\, ideas\, critiques and recommendations that better inform our key audiences \n\n\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n					\n				\n				\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/locked-out-of-literacy-tackling-the-illiteracy-crisis-together/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Special Webinar
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240924T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240924T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20240821T060210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241023T020036Z
UID:248575-1727190000-1727195400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The ESSER Funding Cliff Approaches: What States Did & What They Learned
DESCRIPTION:In the September 24\, 2024 GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, CGLR was thrilled to have the rare opportunity to convene and hear from a panel of Chief State School Officers about the decision- and policymakers about the interventions and strategies in which they invested their 10% set-aside allowed from the $190 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund over the past four years. With the looming September 30\, 2024\, deadline for obligating the final pool of relief funds and January 28\, 2025\, deadline to liquidate the grant before funds must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education\, this session provided an important opportunity to hear the state chiefs share what they did\, what they have learned and how they are planning to sustain effective strategies and interventions. \nModerator and competency-based education leader William R. Hite\, Jr.\, Ed.D.\, of KnowledgeWorks opened the discussion by asking each panelist to set their state’s context by sharing the priority learning recovery strategies they launched using the big federal investment and what results they have seen. In considering her priority investment in digital equity\, Susana Córdova\, Ed.D.\, Commissioner of Education in Colorado\, shared that in their need to expand access to digital resources\, new innovations emerged from the crisis that are now continuing to benefit districts and students. In setting the context for her state\, Katie Jenner\, Ed.D.\, Secretary of Education in Indiana\, shared that there had been a strained relationship between state government entities. When it came time to address the COVID crisis and prioritize ESSER investments\, her team needed to start with relationship building: \n\nIn order to drive change within a crisis situation\, it starts with consensus building and relationship building. So our team\, when I came in as an appointed secretary of education\,…started with relationship building and a commitment to being very transparent with the data…And we still hold this true in Indiana. Let’s not spend our time admiring the problem. Let’s focus in on solutions….That’s always what is needed in the beginning. \n\nHite continued the discussion by asking the panelists to consider the challenges they had to overcome\, what they might do differently in hindsight and what key lessons they have for the field. McKenzie Snow\, Director of the Iowa Department of Education\, discussed how achievement gap data in their state informed all the decisions they made\, leading to their top four priorities: creating a strong teacher pipeline; narrowing and closing the achievement gap; creating multiple pathways to postsecondary success; and implementing evidence-based reading instruction. Charlene Russell-Tucker\, Commissioner of Education in Connecticut\, agreed about the importance of data and demonstrating the return on investment — especially to communicate what works and justify state funding to support continued efforts: \n\nWe’ve used data to inform what it is that we’re investing in and to really talk about sustainability. Really important. Here in Connecticut\, our research collaborative is not going away. We rebranded and renamed it because it is so important that we know the return on investment for what it is that we’re doing.…So that is something I’d say is a best practice that will continue. Imagine now being able to go to the legislature and say\, here is this thing we tried doing and\, by the way\, we know it works….Now it’s your turn to invest in that…A lesson learned is to continue to try to make the case for being able to answer the “so what” question when we make an investment in a program or an initiative. \n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/charting-the-path-forward-state-education-chiefs-on-accelerating-learning-recovery/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241001T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241001T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20240926T204220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241118T185654Z
UID:248953-1727794800-1727800200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care & Education
DESCRIPTION:This partner webinar\, moderated by Ellen Galinsky with Families and Work Institute\, provided a powerful look into the disconnect between early care and education in the United States as reflected in Dan Wuori’s new book.  \nWuori\, author of The Daycare Myth and founder and president of Early Childhood Policy Solutions LLC\, engaged in conversation with Galinsky about this disconnect and the physical costs that are associate with it. Unfortunately\, Wuori argued\, the United States is long overdue for policy change that could appropriately address problems that result in inaccessible and unaffordable infant and toddler care\, which costs the U.S. economy $122 billion annually.  \nAt the heart of this crisis\, Wuori explained\, is society’s failure to understand the significance of these formative early years in a child’s life. “The primary value that underlies my work is that children matter\, these years matter and equitable access to the supports that families need matters.” To aid in this shift in understanding\, Wuori urges childhood professionals to change the way that they present themselves and their work and to claim titles that reflect their powerful role in child development.  \n“It pains my heart to hear any of these professionals referred to as daycare workers or even child care providers. These are not babysitters. You are the adults who will help to construct a child’s brain. It’s a very different way of looking at this profession and its value.” \nFollowing Galinsky’s conversation with Wuori\, she turned to a panel of expert commentators who offered their perspectives. Jessica Sager of All Our Kin began by sharing appreciation for early childhood educators who are consistently underpaid\, undervalued and overworked. Fortunately\, Sager shared\, she has seen powerful momentum across the country where many states are reaching out for help in reforming their early child care systems.  \n“We have seen educators across the country coming together with parents and business leaders to advocate for solutions to our current child care education system. Creating more spaces where educators have the opportunity to share those perspectives is really\, critically important.” \nLisa Roy\, Ed.D.\, from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood continued by emphasizing the urgent need to address the early childhood workforce crisis driven by low wages\, inadequate benefits and high turnover rates. Encouragingly\, Roy reflected on the work being done in Colorado\, such as a tax credit for early childhood professionals and substantial investments in workforce development\, to showcase the impact of adequate funding and support on recruitment\, retention and the overall quality of early childhood education.  \n“It’s simple. To retain high-quality educators\, we have to have pay that reflects their importance and the difficulty of the work\, and we need to build on that system. We need to make sure that we’re giving early childhood professionals the dignity and respect they deserve.”  \nLastly\, attendees heard from Daniel Hains with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). He powerfully echoed the other commentators’ concerns and emphasized that the current economic model we have in place is flawed\, as it results in educators sacrificing their financial well-being and deters future educators from entering the field. Hains argued that improvements are possible\, as was reflected by the substantial federal investments made during the COVID-19 pandemic aimed at stabilizing child care and lowering costs for families.   \n “It’s really encouraging to see states taking those lessons from the pandemic. When we invest in child care and early learning\, and when we invest in early childhood educators\, it makes a real difference.”  \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nIf you were able to attend this session\, we would love to hear your feedback. We appreciate your help in filling out the following form as we seek to learn and understand the perspectives\, ideas\, critiques and recommendations that better inform our key audiences. \n\n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/the-daycare-myth-pt1/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241008T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20241003T140230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241023T015201Z
UID:248982-1728399600-1728405000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Bridging the Gap: Data Insights & Global Strategies for Accelerating Educational Recovery
DESCRIPTION:“Advocates have two really important roles to play here. One is to push\, one is to demand that equity be at the center of conversations about resource allocation and policy decisions….The other important rule is to provide cover\, particularly for when we do have leaders who are trying to do something bolder than just get us back to the status quo.”  – Allison Rose Socol\, Ph.D.\, Education Trust  \n\nThis week’s GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, Bridging the Gap: Data Insights and Global Strategies for Accelerating Educational Recovery\, highlighted key findings from six research reports\, revealing mixed progress in academic recovery post-pandemic. Kelsey Young\, Ph.D.\, of Curriculum Associates explained\, “Nationally\, students are behind where they were pre-pandemic\,” and while there has been some recovery\, “research does agree that younger students saw larger initial declines.” Megan Kuhfeld\, Ph.D.\, of NWEA emphasized that math saw “larger initial drops\, but also a more positive recovery story in grades three to eight\,” but overall we’re “clearly still far from the historical average.” Doug Scott from McKinsey & Company added\, “The perception from district leaders was [efforts made] are working.”  \nFor English learners\, schools and districts\, the research paints a challenging picture. Lucretia Santibañez\, Ph.D.\, from UCLA noted\, “[English learners] in particular and their learning outcomes are not really catching up” and “the chronic absenteeism problem remains a high risk for this population.” This means districts need to prioritize culturally responsive teaching and involve immigrant families earlier in the intervention process. Santibañez urged that there’s an opportunity to involve parents earlier so that they can be culturally sustaining partners in their children’s education. Robert Runcie of Chiefs for Change explained it this way\, “The approach isn’t to go to build…infrastructure exactly the way it was before. You try to find better ways to do it. Unfortunately\, what I see too often is that our definition of getting out of this pandemic is to basically go back to where we were before. It’s a kind of a low bar when in many systems where they were before\, only a third of the kids were actually reading at grade level or being able to do math. So I don’t think that the goal of where we’re trying to get to should be back to where we were before\, but how can we get to a whole different place? I think that\, in my view\, there’s a lack of boldness and vision about what we ought to try to accomplish.”  \nFrom an advocacy perspective\, the research underscores the need to center equity in recovery efforts. Alison Rose Socol\, Ph.D.\, of Education Trust stated\, “Advocates need to demand that equity be at the center of conversations about resource allocation.” She pointed out that\, as the research shows\, “students of color and students from low-income backgrounds get less when they need more\,” and that mental health supports and targeted interventions must remain a priority. Socol urged equity advocates to hold districts accountable\, asking\, “What data [are state and district leaders] using to inform their decisions?”   \nThe data did reveal some bright spots\, including progress for Black students and certain older cohorts. Young also shared encouraging findings: Students who started just below grade level made encouraging growth\, showing that targeted interventions\, such as high-dosage tutoring and supplemental instruction\, can make a difference when implemented effectively. These gains\, though modest\, provide insights into what strategies might help close the remaining gaps and accelerate recovery for all students.  \n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/bridging-the-gap-data-insights-global-strategies-for-accelerating-educational-recovery/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241015T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241015T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20241003T151326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241023T015018Z
UID:249004-1729004400-1729009800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Play-Based Learning in the Kindergarten Classroom & Beyond
DESCRIPTION: \n\n\n \n\n\n\nModerated by Diana Greene\, Ph.D.\, of Children’s Literacy Initiative\, this conversation highlighted the ways that playful learning can and should be used as a classroom method that fosters creativity\, curiosity and critical thinking in children.  \nKathy Hirsh-Pasek\, Ph.D.\, of Temple University and the Brookings Institution served as the key speaker in the conversation and began by highlighting the effectiveness of active playful learning (APL) in early grades classrooms. The approach\, Hirsh-Pasek explained\, works to enhance joy and depth in learning by emphasizing active\, engaged and meaningful work in the classroom. Hirsh-Pasek shared the “Six C’s”— collaboration\, communication\, content\, critical thinking\, creativity and confidence — where students are experiencing immense growth after the introduction of APL in the classroom.  \nHirsh-Pasek closed by sharing her excitement at the growing movement for APL\, with some states\, including Connecticut and Oklahoma\, implementing playful learning in early grades education\, and other states reaching out for guidance on how to enact the programs in their schools. \n“In our system\, we’re trying to change what goes on in the classroom; to have smaller groups\, to amplify student voice and choice\, [and to implement] all the things that make the classroom space active\, engaging\, meaningful\, socially interactive and joyful.” – Kathy Hirsh-Pasek\, Ph.D.  \nFollowing Hirsh-Pasek’s presentation\, attendees heard from Kristi Kallam\, a kindergarten educator of 25+ years\, who shared examples of what playful learning looks like in her classroom. Kallam echoed Hirsh-Pasek’s remarks that children learn best when actively engaged in socially interactive and passionate teaching. This has prompted Kallam to organize her curriculum around three central themes each year involving subjects such as math\, social studies and science\, as well as activities like art and music.  \n“We begin to think about the other ways in which we can bring in different aspects of the curriculum. What can we do with music? What can we do with art projects? Are there recipes or games we can play? It begins to build this wonderful\, engaging and meaningful environment where the kids take ownership.”– Kristi Kallam \nAttendees then heard from Loretta C. Brady\, Ph.D.\, of Saint Anselm College and author of Technology Touchpoints\, who expanded on the conversation by discussing the role of technology in play-based learning. Drawing on her research\, Brady explained that while some argue for or against technology use\, it’s more productive to view technology as a tool that can empower children when used creatively and with agency. Brady emphasized that devices such as iPads can support learning\, social interaction and joy when integrated thoughtfully\, similar to physical play.  \n“If we can understand and appreciate how technology is meeting children’s needs\, we can understand why they’re so fixated on the screens and the content…by empowering a child to utilize that technology in a creative way — one that allows them voice and agency — it can be much more meaningful for the child.”– Loretta C. Brady\, Ph.D. \nFollowing Brady’s remarks\, Kimberly Nesbitt\, Ph.D.\, of University of New Hampshire emphasized the need for collaboration across various levels — classrooms\, schools\, districts and state departments — to make lasting change in implementing play-based learning effectively. Nesbitt shared her experience working with the New Hampshire Department of Education to bridge the gap in the implementation of play-based learning models in the classrooms.  \n“We’re expanding to be able to share this vital information so that we can bring it back to our states\, back to our districts\, back to our local schools and try to make this movement happen….It’s hard to make systemic change\, but together we can do it.”  – Kimberly Nesbitt\, Ph.D. \nLastly\, attendees heard from Debbie Leslie\, Ph.D.\, with the University of Chicago who emphasized the importance of teacher learning and coaching\, so that teachers feel supported through these educational changes. Allowing teachers to have choice and voice in their professional development and helping them break down the abstract ideas of play into concrete practices\, Leslie explained\, can foster progress and deeper learning within the classroom for the educators and teachers.  \n“It’s understandable that teachers are stressed when they are asked to do too many things. But if we have people who are there to help them think about how to implement these systems\, they can take a deep breath.”– Debbie Leslie\, Ph.D. \n\n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/play-based-learning-2/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Casey_Prov_KidsCount_2013_THURS_00095-e1713201730648.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241022T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241022T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053225
CREATED:20241007T073351Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241028T144811Z
UID:249018-1729609200-1729614600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Building Stronger Teacher Pipelines Through University-District Partnerships
DESCRIPTION:CGLR and Deans for Impact (DFI) were thrilled to bring this critical topic to the foreground as communities across the country grapple with new teacher attrition amidst ongoing shortages. We heard from two strong\, long-standing partnerships in Ohio and Virginia on how to successfully work together across recruitment\, preparation and mentoring\, and what it takes on both sides to come to the table in service of students. \nModerator Valerie Sakimura of DFI opened the discussion by providing a brief overview of the current landscape and ways DFI is supporting partnerships of teacher-preparation programs and school districts to make instructional improvement a priority across all pathways into teaching: \nBrilliance is equally distributed\, but quality instruction is not….We know students of color\, for example\, are more likely to be in the classroom of a novice teacher….And so we are working with teacher-preparation programs both within and outside of universities to make sure every new teacher is ready to engage students in rigorous and affirming learning experiences. \nSakimura asked Principal Zeb Kellough of Crim Elementary School at Bowling Green City Schools andTracy Huziak-Clark from Bowling Green State University to share how they’re working together to mobilize aspiring teachers at BGSU as high-dosage tutors at Crim. This effort has both strengthened aspiring teachers’ preparation and provided valuable extra support for current teachers. Kellough and Huziak-Clark had similar sentiments about the impact\, with Kellough stating: \nSome of the most enriching conversations happen whenever those BGSU tutors were able to sit with [our] team of teachers…to discuss data\, to talk about what they think the next steps are\, to have those BGSU tutors be the problem-solving individuals to figure out what needs to happen next. \nNext\, Superintendent Melody Hackney\, of Hopewell City Public Schools and Willis Walter of Virginia State University unearthed the details of launching and sustaining a registered apprenticeship program\, which has created an affordable pathway for Hopewell’s teaching assistants and paraprofessionals to become licensed teachers. Walter shared: \nIt was about making sure we didn’t take any shortcuts…that we were giving them the same quality education that our traditional pathway provided….We were able to make this even more special through partnering with Deans for Impact [offering] the professional development\, because that also gives them some quality skills that they can immediately use on day one in their classrooms. \nPanelists offered policy solutions that would help strengthen relationships between teacher-preparation programs and school districts\, including providing compensation\, investing in more out-of-school academic support for students and prioritizing both access and quality. Thank you again for your interest in this learning opportunity. We hope you found it enlightening and that you will plan to join us again for future opportunities.  \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nIf you were able to attend this session\, we would love to hear your feedback. We appreciate your help in filling out the following feedback form as we seek to learn and understand the perspectives\, ideas\, critiques and recommendations that better inform our key audiences. \n\n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/building-stronger-teacher-pipelines-through-university-district-partnerships/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Special Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Casey-2016-BAL_1391.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241029T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241029T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053226
CREATED:20241017T023837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241111T075132Z
UID:249070-1730214000-1730219400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:An “Honesty Gap”? Shifting State Standards & Accountability for Learning Loss Recovery
DESCRIPTION:The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is often referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card” because it is the one national report that gives us a broad look at how our kids are doing academically across the country. In recent months\, state standards have shifted so that what qualifies as proficient in one state may be vastly different from what NAEP calls proficient. This means that the “cut scores” or the mark on assessments that indicates academic proficiency is moving in various states\, creating an “honesty gap” where parents are left perplexed about what their children’s “scores” are and what they mean. This week’s session was an important opportunity to unpack this issue with expert leaders\, explore what is happening across the states\, and learn about both the educator and parent perspectives on these shifting standards. \nModerator and family engagement advocate Tracie Potts with Learning Heroes introduced the discussion by asking panelists to set the context by sharing their and their organization’s perspective and experience monitoring state standards and the information available to parents on their children’s academic ratings. Jim Cowen of the Collaborative for Student Success took us back nearly a decade when his organization first coined the term “honesty gap” as a way to hold states accountable for making data and information about student progress available to parents. He captured the situation by explaining how this term emerged: \nThere was confusion and anxiety about shifts in how students got to answers. And there was an enormous amount of distraction\, and it became incredibly hard to discuss something that…seemed as reasonable as having consistent academic expectations for our kids. So the idea of the honesty gap was really born out of this desire to cut through that distraction and focus on a very simple but critical point…parents deserve the truth about where their kids stand on their educational progress. \nAfter hearing from each panelist\, Potts continued by engaging all speakers in a discussion of action steps and what advocates and educators can do to ensure that the honesty gap is closed and that ratings and “cut scores” for student learning progress are made clear to parents and the public. In addition to Cowen\, Christy Hovanetz\, Ph.D.\, of ExcelinEd\, José Muñoz of the Education Commission of the States and Keri Rodrigues of the National Parents Union discussed what steps can be taken to understand what a proficiency rating means for students in your state\, how this compares to NAEP and how to make sure parents can ask the right questions and get the information they need to support their children’s progress. Rodrigueszeroed-in on what schools and teachers can do to ensure parents have the information they need: \nI’m going to issue a challenge to [state departments of education\, districts\, schools and teachers]. I want to see you having courageous conversations. I want you to do the opposite of what you’re doing now\, which is thinking you’re being kind to us by not being honest\, not telling us the real deal\, not giving us all the data. Because when you do\, I think you’re going to be surprised. I think you’re going to find parents who are ready to help. Because we see this stuff playing out in our living rooms. We may not be educators\, but we’re not stupid. We can tell when a kid is struggling to read. But we don’t know always how to help them out. But if you tell us what to do and you tell us there’s a problem\, we’re going to get to work and we’re going to be right there with you because we have a vested interest in your success. But we can’t help unless you’re willing to be courageous\, be honest and tell us where we really are so that we can do this together. \nAnd with that inspiration\, we thank you again for joining this unique learning and engagement opportunity. We hope you found it enlightening and that you will plan to join us again for future opportunities. 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/honesty-gap/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241105T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241105T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T053226
CREATED:20241017T060147Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241116T080032Z
UID:249088-1730818800-1730824200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:ELECTION DAY REBROADCAST: The ESSER Funding Cliff Approaches: What States Did & What They Learned
DESCRIPTION:CGLR had the rare opportunity to convene and learn from a panel of Chief State School Officers and hear straight from the decision- and policymakers about the interventions and strategies in which they invested their 10% set-aside allowed from the $190 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund over the past four years. With the expiration of ESSER funding on September 30 and the upcoming January 28\, 2025\, deadline to liquidate the grant before funds must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education\, this special Election Day rebroadcast session provided another opportunity to hear these state chiefs share what they did\, what they have learned and how they are planning to sustain effective strategies and interventions. \nModerator and competency-based education leader William R. Hite\, Jr.\, Ed.D.\, of KnowledgeWorks opened the discussion by asking each panelist to set their state’s context by sharing the priority learning recovery strategies they launched using the significant federal investment and what results they have seen. In considering her priority investment in digital equity\, Susana Córdova\, Ed.D.\, Commissioner of Education in Colorado\, shared that in their need to expand access to digital resources\, new innovations emerged from the crisis that are now continuing to benefit districts and students. In setting the context for her state\, Katie Jenner\, Ed.D.\, Secretary of Education in Indiana\, shared that there had been a strained relationship between state government entities. When it came time to address the COVID crisis and prioritize ESSER investments\, her team needed to start with relationship building: \nIn order to drive change within a crisis situation\, it starts with consensus building and relationship building. So our team\, when I came in as an appointed secretary of education\,…started with relationship building and a commitment to being very transparent with the data…And we still hold this true in Indiana. Let’s not spend our time admiring the problem. Let’s focus in on solutions….That’s always what is needed in the beginning. \nHite continued the discussion by asking the panelists to consider the challenges they had to overcome\, what they might do differently in hindsight and what key lessons they have for the field. McKenzie Snow\, Director of the Iowa Department of Education\, discussed how achievement gap data in their state informed all the decisions they made\, leading to their top four priorities: establishing a strong teacher pipeline; narrowing and closing the achievement gap; creating multiple pathways to postsecondary success; and implementing evidence-based reading instruction. Charlene Russell-Tucker\, Commissioner of Education in Connecticut\, agreed about the importance of data and demonstrating the return on investment — especially to communicate what works and justify state funding to support continued efforts: \nWe’ve used data to inform what it is that we’re investing in and to really talk about sustainability. Really important. Here in Connecticut\, our research collaborative is not going away. We rebranded and renamed it because it is so important that we know the return on investment for what it is that we’re doing.…So that is something I’d say is a best practice that will continue. Imagine now being able to go to the legislature and say\, here is this thing we tried doing and\, by the way\, we know it works….Now it’s your turn to invest in that…A lesson learned is to continue to try to make the case for being able to answer the “so what” question when we make an investment in a program or an initiative. \nIn recognition of Election Day 2024 and the broad bipartisan support the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has been fortunate to receive since its launch in 2010\, CGLR was also pleased to share brief clips of two sitting governors — one Republican and one Democrat — as part of this special rebroadcast. In these clips\, Governor Spencer Cox (R) of Utah and Governor Wes Moore (D) of Maryland stressed the importance of finding bipartisan agreement on sound education policy that ensures early school success and more hopeful futures for children. \n\n\n\n \n\n			\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				If you were able to attend the session\, we would love to hear your feedback! We appreciate your help in filling out the following form as we seek to learn and understand the perspectives\, ideas\, critiques and recommendations that better inform our key audiences. \n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/election-day-rebroadcast/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Special Webinar
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