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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240206T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240206T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040219
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SUMMARY:Getting All Students Up to Speed Using Evidence-Based Supplemental Reading Programs
DESCRIPTION: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, Getting Students Up to Speed Using Evidence-Based Supplemental Reading Programs\, co-sponsored with the LEARN Network\, moderator Adrienne D. Woods\, Ph.D. of SRI International shared the above quote as she explained the goal of The Leveraging Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide (LEARN) Network. \nWoods provided context to the attendees as to how and why the LEARN Network\, a three-year project funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)\, came to be. She explained that the project was conceptualized as “part of the federal strategy to address both long-standing student achievement gaps and those exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Within this program\, she explained\, there are four “product teams” that focus on literacy and math learning interventions. \nAs part of a deeper look into the product teams\, Woods first invited with the Targeted Reading Instruction-Flamingo Reading App (TRI-FRA) representatives — Mary Bratsch-Hines\, Ph.D.\, of University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning and Heather Hanney Aiken\, Ph.D.\, of Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill — to provide an overview of that program. Bratsch-Hines explained that the program includes daily lessons for students\, as well as strong implementer supports like virtual coaching. Aiken shared that they’ve created a series of easy-to-implement\, high-quality reading lessons for classroom teachers\, and reading interventionists like co-panelist Erin McCain Heim of Southside Elementary School in Versailles\, Kentucky. Heim echoed the success of the TRI-FRA program in practice: \n“The ease of implementing TRI-FRA\, from setting the students up in the app to delivering the instruction\, has been really seamless. It provides a clear scope and sequence…the structure provides such a high level of comfort for both teachers and students.” \nWoods then engaged with the Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) team to learn more about the peer-tutoring program. Lauren Artzi\, Ph.D.\, and Billie Jo Day\, Ph.D.\, of American Institutes for Research (AIR) shared that PALS is a peer-mediated instructional program in which students are paired together for a reciprocal peer tutoring experience over the course of a 30-minute lesson. Artzi explained that the program allows for students to switch-off between the role of a “coach” and the role of a “leader” to contribute to a system in which students take ownership of their knowledge. Day notes that: “The key piece of this entire program is that students are getting the opportunity to read in a very supported way.”  \n Following the look at the PALS program\, Woods shifted to the final product team\, Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention (STARI). Emily Hayden\, Ph.D. of the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) explained that STARI is specifically designed for struggling middle school and high school readers\, equipping them with a full year of curriculum to address their reading challenges. Hayden emphasized the importance of addressing this slightly older student demographic\, as they may have faced years of reading struggles before reaching middle or high school\, leading to disengagement\, or internalized negative beliefs about their reading abilities. STARI is implemented in 45-minute classes that emphasize the development of complex reading skills through activities such as reciprocal teaching\, partner work\, guided reading and debates\, fostering both spoken language proficiency and critical thinking abilities. \nKate Leo\, MA\, EdS\, a teacher at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines\, Iowa\, described the impact she has seen from the STARI program\, sharing that the students she taught through the program grew an average of 44 correct words per minute\, and moved up a fluency level. \n“The other thing we’ve noticed with being able to offer a supplemental support program within our school is that some of our students\, their parents are not English speakers\, and so they don’t know where to seek outside resources [for their child]. So\, I see this program as a way of making English equitable to all of our students in our school by bridging the gap\,” Leo said.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/getting-all-students-up-to-speed-selecting-evidence-based-supplemental-reading-programs/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240213T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240213T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240122T223353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240219T155352Z
UID:246198-1707827400-1707832800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Relationships That Work in CGLR Communities With Coalition Leads\, Schools and Other Partners 
DESCRIPTION:“True partnerships are intentional in listening to the partner’s needs and what would work best for them. There will be a trust to sustain relationships that create success. A supportive community would do the work and collaboration\, and ensure work is data driven. When there’s unified collaboration in the community\, they are likely to be able to shift and adapt as needed to meet current climate needs to establish longevity\, dependability and confidence.” – Pastor Gary E. Lee\, First Baptist Church Middlesex\, North Carolina \n\n\n\n \n\n\nThis Crucible of Practice Salon session featured CGLR community coalition members from Nash and Edgecombe Counties\, North Carolina\, and Regina\, Saskatchewan\, Canada. Both teams presented how they work with schools and community partners to support the development of early literacy skills\, family engagement and ongoing program implementation for school-age children. Following the opening remarks and icebreaker for all attendees\, Debra Lanham with Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC) in North Carolina provided an overview of the demographics of the community and the coalition’s focus. Pattie Allen\, also with DEPC\, explained their definition of family engagement\, how this is woven into programs\, and the general strategy of working within existing networks including faith-based communities\, child care providers\, medical clinics\, libraries and schools. Kristen Miller\, Principal of G.W. Carver Elementary School\, shared how the partnership with DEPC has had a positive impact on student attendance and contributed to the creation and implementation of specific supportive programs.       \n\n“The whole point was for our Carver students to feel that they had someone\, not just the teachers they saw every day\, but a true connection to the community. This really made students have a sense of belonging. At the end of the year\, we saw every single student increase their attendance percentage in some way for that year.” – Kristen Miller\, G.W. Carver Elementary School \n\nViola Barnes-Gray with DEPC and Pastor Gary E. Lee from First Baptist Church Middlesex discussed how cultivating relationships between school and community partners contributed to the overall success of teams supporting students.    \n\n“Our Ready Schools and Ready Communities work is interwoven and goes hand in hand with building relationships. Around our five schools\, we target community partners representing the faith\, civic groups\, businesses and other organizations.” – Viola Barnes-Gray\, DEPC \n“We learned that building relationships between the community and schools requires front loading of the work before partners are connected to the social school teams.” – Pastor Gary E. Lee\, First Baptist Church Middlesex \n\nAfter the coalition members reviewed the lessons learned about family engagement\, Lanham talked about why the coalition and members are invested in helping children with literacy and the challenges families and children face in their community. The conversation also covered programs to address these challenges and explored how to nurture and sustain relationships.   \n\n“It is really critical that we give our children the tools and resources they need beginning at birth. And then build upon it so\, by the time they get to third grade\, they are proficient in reading.” – Debra Lanham  \n\nAfter the coalition from Nash and Edgecombe Counties shared their collaborative strategies\, Trish Dupuis and Sandi White with United Way Regina provided an overview of their work in Regina. Dupuis centered on the programs involved with their grade-level reading work and how these are built on a foundation of partnerships with schools. Their education initiatives involve 12 community schools in Regina\, Saskatchewan.   \n\n“United Way Regina strongly believes that education provides a pathway out of poverty.” – Trish Dupuis\, United Way Regina   \n\nDupuis reviewed how the schools were chosen and the data reviewed to identify which neighborhoods and schools to target\, including health and vision data. The teams wanted to ensure the most significant achievement gaps and the highest level of complex needs were being addressed by collaborative efforts. The impact of the coalition’s work was also shared with a review of kindergarten readiness assessment data\, third-grade reading assessment data\, and comparisons of these with baseline numbers. Overall\, the dedicated work in Regina’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading decreased the achievement gap and supported children’s literacy outcomes in the schools where programs were implemented. The connection between vision and other health-related barriers to learning was also explored. White shared about her work facilitating Family Literacy Hubs\, which focuses on engaging families and improving school readiness. She described the guiding actions of Family Literacy Hubs and added detail about the programs and activities done through the hubs.     \n\n“In my role\, I want to provide programming that will empower families to feel like they can support their children with engaging literacy experiences within the home.”  – Sandi White\, United Way Regina 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/building-and-sustaining-partnerships-between-cglr-communities-and-school-districts/
CATEGORIES:Crucible of Practice Salon,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240213T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240213T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240206T023109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240216T204858Z
UID:246396-1707836400-1707841800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The Science of Reading for Emergent Bilinguals
DESCRIPTION:In this GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, The Science of Reading for Emergent Bilinguals\, attendees heard a riveting conversation about current work\, initiatives and thoughts around centering English learners and emergent bilinguals in the realm of the science of reading. Julie Sugarman\, Ph.D.\, with the Migration Policy Institute opened the conversation with Martha Hernandez\, M.A.\, of Californians Together and Kari Kurto\, MAT\, of The Reading League. They provided background context on the joint statement\, “Understanding the Difference: The Science of Reading and Implementation for English Learners/Emergent Bilinguals\,” and reviewed how it came about\, what was included and how it has been used since its publication. \n\n“We wanted to connect and we wanted to learn more….We started out by understanding each other’s ‘why\,’ which helped to kind of disarm everyone and break us out of our echo chambers….We asked some brave questions\, and we worked to understand how to find alignment\, which\, spoiler alert\, was not actually as hard as we thought in many areas.” – Kari Kurto\, MAT\, The Reading League \n\nNext\, Magaly Lavadenz\, Ph.D.\, with the Center for Equity for English Learners\, Claude Goldenberg\, Ph.D.\, from Stanford University and Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan\, Ed.D.\, from Valley Speech Language and Learning Center shared insights on language and literacy development\, how children learn to read\, and bilingual learners\, respectively. \nThe conversation touched on the need to distinguish between the science of reading as a body of knowledge and programmatic materials branded as “science of reading.” They also discussed legislation that includes this term\, and how such legislation needs to center English learners and emergent bilingual students for equitable learning opportunities. The panelists also stressed the importance of supports and systems for teachers to incorporate best practices. \n\n“We want to make sure also that we have the opportunity for that ongoing professional development. You see\, when we’re coming out of our universities today\, it’s an afterthought to think about students from linguistically diverse backgrounds. They should be included in all teacher education programs because everybody will work with a student that comes from linguistically diverse backgrounds.” – Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan\, Ed.D.\, Valley Speech Language and Learning Center \n\n\n\n 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/the-science-of-reading-for-emergent-bilinguals/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Casey_KINETIK_2014_III_01044-e1707170374168.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240220T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240220T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240122T225158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240229T022043Z
UID:246202-1708432200-1708437600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Reading Universe: Scaling Teacher PD for Student Success
DESCRIPTION:The ecosystem for literacy support is growing in a good way. There’s much more available than when Barksdale [Reading Institute] began its work. What makes Reading Universe distinct though is that it is FREE and also that it is a comprehensive scope and sequence for how to teach teachers to teach reading.– Kelly Butler\, ReadingUniverse.org and formerly with Barksdale Reading Institute (BRI) \n\n\n\n\n\nIn this Funder-to-Funder Conversation\, Kelly Butler of ReadingUniverse.org shared the above statement as she introduced the robust online resource that she is producing with WETA to enhance the capacity of educators nationwide to teach reading. Because she and the other funders who are investing in the build out of Reading Universe are committed to ensuring that the resource will be available to all teachers\, schools and districts at no cost\, they are seeking philanthropic support to expand it from the K–2 pilot that is available today to serve teachers in PreK–6. \nJane Park of Google Kids & Families moderated the conversation. She engaged the leaders behind the development of Reading Universe\, Butler and Tami Mount\, M.Ed.\, of WETA\, as well as its early philanthropic investors\, Michelle Knapik of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Marla Ucelli-Kashyap of AFT. The conversation also included Erika Bryant\, a first grade teacher at Pecan Park Elementary School in Jackson\, Mississippi\, who has used Reading Universe to enhance her own teaching as well as the teaching of the educators she is mentoring. \nUcelli-Kashyap began by sharing what AFT has heard from its member teachers in terms of an interest and hunger for just-in-time resources that could help them better support student learning. \n\nIt became clear that way too many teachers are using low leverage practices or required programs that just don’t meet their students’ needs. They want to be prepared and effective\, but they need support. Saying ‘Just Do It’ might work great in a Nike commercial\, but in a classroom not so much. – Marla Ucelli-Kashyap\, AFT \n\n\n\n\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				Butler shared highlights from how BRI drew on the National Reading Panel research in 2000 to embed evidence-based practices across the educational pipeline. Beginning with pilot efforts in targeted Mississippi schools\, BRI was able to demonstrate progress spurring state leaders to scale the approach statewide. These efforts helped Mississippi advance from 49th among states on NAEP scores in 2003 to 21st in 2022. That success prompted BRI to begin moving the teacher training resources used in Mississippi online so that teachers across the country could access it. \n\nMany have referred to what happened in Mississippi as the ‘Mississippi Miracle’ but I like to think of it as a marathon. I encourage other states and philanthropists to consider that the R&D has been done and paid for by Mississippi\, including what is required for effective implementation. So\, take what we’ve learned\, skip the marathon and use Reading Universe to get to the work on the ground. We know how to teach reading. We just need to do it everywhere – Kelly Butler\, ReadingUniverse.org \n\nMount walked attendees through the Reading Universe site\, explaining how it functions as a bridge between the research and a teacher’s instructional practice. She pointed to the 10 maxims that Reid Lyon\, Ph.D.\, outlined to summarize five decades of research on reading development by neuroscientists\, psychologists\, linguists\, speech pathologists\, educators and other experts. Mount also navigated through the Reading Universe Taxonomy\, noting that it presents the essential reading skills\, shows how they are connected and lays the groundwork for teaching all students how to read and write through accessible\, bite-sized pieces\, demonstrated through videos of real teachers in real classrooms. \n\nWe bring to Reading Universe the values of PBS Media that is responsible\, authoritative and accessible to a general audience…. We try to excel not just in the authority of what we write\, but also in our production values. We shoot video at PBS standards – and there is a lot of video on the site – and we write text in clear colloquial English without a lot of jargon. Reading Universe is designed to be accessible to a general audience with the goal of attracting the biggest possible audience so we can have the biggest possible impact – Tami Mount\, WETA \n\nBryant shared how she had benefited from the Reading Universe resources when she was a novice teacher and BRI was first piloting the resources. She continues to use it as a resource to hone her teaching skills\, identifying research-based practices to meet the needs of a wide range of students. She also uses Reading Universe as she provides coaching and mentorship to new teachers\, pointing them to videos and skill-explainers that can enhance their instructional practices. \n\nWhat Reading Universe offers us as educators is the opportunity to have a hands-on tool to turn to. It’s very detailed in the way it’s set up so we’re able to quickly pinpoint the skills that we are looking for….I can pull it up during my break time or planning time to help me build my own lesson plans. It is such a benefit for us as educators to have the support there at our fingertips – Erika Bryant\, Pecan Park Elementary School \n\nAfter the deep dive into the history and potential of Reading Universe\, Butler\, Knapik and Ucelli-Kashyap engaged in conversation about the importance of philanthropy investing in Reading Universe to ensure that all teachers have free access to these supports across the planned PreK–6 scope. \n\nIf you’re a national funder\, if you’re a place-based funder\, if you’re a niche funder like Tremaine…if you have anything to do with education\, you can find an entry point into the value proposition behind Reading Universe. We’re a niche funder\, a 35-year old family foundation working in the space of learning differences….As neuroscience gets better\, as the science of reading gets better\, we know that it is like oxygen for these kids — for anyone with learning differences in a classroom — to have structured literacy as a part of what’s happening in the system. It is actually a collective trauma\, generation after generation that we are not intervening with the science of reading for kids with learning differences. We really want to change that – Michelle Knapik\, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/reading-universe-scaling-teacher-pd-for-student-success/
CATEGORIES:Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Past Event,Reading & Math
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240220T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240220T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240207T182227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T062133Z
UID:246435-1708441200-1708446600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:How Summer Learning’s Resurgence and Maximization is Accelerating In-School Learning
DESCRIPTION:In this GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, we took the opportunity to explore how summer learning is a “big bet working” for equitable learning recovery. Summer learning is a critical strategy to prevent the “summer slide” that occurs when schools are closed\, which became the “pandemic slide” during COVID school closures. Moderator Tracie Potts of the Learning Heroes Board of Advisors first engaged in discussion with Eric Mackey\, Ed.D.\, Alabama State Superintendent of Education. He shared about Alabama’s broad investment in summer learning and how the state’s “summer reading camps” advance the recently passed “Alabama Literacy Act” to ensure students are reading on grade level by the end of the third grade. Mackey emphasized that although these camps are focused on building literacy skills\, they also include the fun activities that are so important to make summer learning effective: \n\nThis last year we had about 30\,000 students involved in summer reading camps. We want them to be different. [The camps] certainly include high-quality instruction and we do an assessment at the end of camp and see that students have achieved greater reading levels. But we don’t it want to feel like school. We want it to feel more like it’s a summer camp experience. Now we have a lot of students depending on the school district for these learning experiences. So we’re blending the academic piece and also the fun stuff that actually draws students in and keeps them engaged throughout the summer. \n\nPotts then engaged with two national summer learning leaders\, Aaron Dworkin of the National Summer Learning Association and Polly Singh of The Wallace Foundation. The discussion covered the broad landscape of summer learning programs across the country and how states\, districts and communities are achieving real gains for students in their academic and developmental progress. Singh shared data from the Wallace Foundation’s National Summer Learning Project that demonstrates how consistent participation in summer learning makes an impact:    \n\nWe know that academics are what schools are held accountable for. [The Wallace Foundation] ran the National Summer Learning Project. It was the largest randomized control trial of its kind. In five large school districts across the country\, we saw effects in math and in reading\, and the gains were most prominent in our highest attendees. So after the first summer\, the math gains showed up. Immediately after the second summer\, we saw gains in both reading and math\, and they were sustained\, so we saw about 20% to 25% of a year’s worth of education gains. So three to four months of skills gain that was sustained for an entire year in young people. The science of learning\, the science of literacy\, the science of numeracy\, those skills need practice. And during summer learning time\, young kids just get more practice with those skills\, which is such an important facet of summer learning.  \n\nIn addition to these state and national leaders\, the conversation included local district leaders\, Andrew Maxey\, Ph.D.\, of Tuscaloosa City Schools in Alabama and Matthew Brewster of the Newark Board of Education in New Jersey. We learned from them about their critical summer learning partnerships with community-based organizations and how they engage both teachers and students in the combination of fun and academics to build enthusiasm and consistent participation.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/how-summer-learnings-resurgence-and-maximization-is-accelerating-in-school-learning/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Casey_KINETIK_2014_III_00160-scaled-e1707330021856.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240227T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240227T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240207T194552Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T063016Z
UID:246449-1709046000-1709051400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY: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/not-without-teachers-intentional-teacher-development-for-improved-student-outcomes/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240305T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240305T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240223T215349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240530T200539Z
UID:246613-1709650800-1709656200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Identifying and Supporting Children With Diverse Learning Needs
DESCRIPTION:Michelle Knapik with the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation moderated an insightful conversation that emphasized the personal and professional commitment to supporting children with learning differences. Before launching the discussion\, Knapik reminded attendees of the interconnectedness of policy\, research and practice in creating effective systems of change to support these children in the kindergarten year. \nAttendees first heard from Glenna Wright-Gallo with the U.S. Department of Education who shared context on Secretary Miguel Cardona’s Raise the Bar Initiative launched in January 2023. The Initiative\, consists of three main pillars: achieving academic excellence by accelerating learning\, improving learning conditions and creating pathways for global engagement. Wright-Gallo then explained what these pillars look like in practice within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services\, where there’s a focus on building a comprehensive\, inclusive and responsive system of instruction and intervention. \n“At the Department of Education\, we know that the kindergarten year\, that first formal at-scale learning opportunity that many children experience\, represents that critical juncture when effective supports and developmental experiences could close the gap and put more children on a path to early school success.” – Glenna Wright-Gallo\, U.S. Department of Education. \nNicole Ormandy\, M.Ed.\, with the AIM Institute for Learning and Research then introduced the Phases of Word Reading Development Theory from Linnea Ehri\, Ph.D.\, a guiding force in AIM’s approach to literacy. The theory is focused on an understanding of the progression of reading skills from emergent to proficient levels based on four phases of reading development. Having a better understanding of developmental phases can help educators identify potential warning signs for language-based learning disabilities in young children. Ormandy offered many visual examples of what this identification process could look like and concluded by emphasizing the importance of early identification in an attempt to support students through the kindergarten year and beyond. \nAttendees then heard from Sue Bonaiuto\, Ed.D.\, with EarlyBird Education who discussed the EarlyBird platform\, an engaging and interactive game designed to predict dyslexia and reading challenges in young learners. The program was created with the goal of existing as a preventive approach for learners by providing comprehensive assessments and data dashboards for teachers. “It’s been designed for any teacher\, any level of training in the science of reading\, and frankly\, any level of training in teaching reading in the first place\,” said Bonaiuto about the functions and ease-of-use of the program. Bonaiuto closed by highlighting EarlyBird’s presence in 24 states\, across various schools\, organizations and early learning coalitions\, expressing excitement and appreciation toward this commitment to collaboration to support all students’ literacy development needs. \nRafel Hart with Educare of Omaha\, Inc. continued the panel conversation by highlighting the importance of focusing on developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education. Hart shared with attendees the Ecological Systems Theory that emphasizes the centrality of the child and the importance of supporting both the child and their family in this work. Hart also discussed the tenets of the Head Start and Early Head Start programs\, including child development\, family support and engagement\, health and nutrition\, and community involvement. \n“These programs are living\, breathing things\, just like the children in the program. So\, the communities have to support and embrace them in very much the same way that we do within the program.” – Rafel Hart\, Educare of Omaha\, Inc. \nLastly\, attendees heard from Robai Werunga\, Ph.D.\, at the University of Massachusetts\, Lowell who reflected on her experience transitioning from a special education teacher to an academic preparing future teachers. Werunga discussed the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in early literacy\, particularly focusing on Response to Intervention. In discussing the framework\, Werunga explained that it’s meant to guide stakeholders in supporting students’ reading needs\, with particular focus on early intervention\, high-quality instruction\, assessment\, progress monitoring and data-based decision-making. Werunga also emphasized that family engagement is crucial in supporting students’ needs\, especially for culturally and linguistically diverse families who may face added barriers. \n“For success in supporting students both at school and at home\, it is critical that parents become part of the equation. That means helping the parents understand what is going on within the school and providing the support needed for them to help the students at home.” – Robai Werunga\, Ph.D.\, University of Massachusetts\, Lowell
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/identifying-and-supporting-children-with-learning-differences/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Providence_Photos_1010-e1708725203232.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240312T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240312T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240223T215958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240315T160327Z
UID:246620-1710246600-1710252000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Family Engagement Strategies with Learn to Earn Dayton
DESCRIPTION:“We know that educators cannot do this work by themselves\, and so it is imperative for all of us as a community to be able to support our children in closing that gap.”   \n– Maya Dorsey\, Learn to Earn Dayton  \nThis session featured leaders from the early grade literacy coalition initiative with Learn to Earn Dayton\, representing the CGLR communities of Dayton and Montgomery Counties in Ohio. As the backbone for the community-wide approach\, Learn to Earn Dayton convenes local partners and nonprofits to address chronic absenteeism and the literacy proficiency gap impacting children in their area. The team presented data-driven strategies related to early reading with family engagement as a central component.   \n“I want to emphasize and reiterate that building relationships\, trust and connection with the families and the schools is the most essential piece to family engagement. Building those relationships is extremely important to be able to utilize the strategies that we have in place.” – Erika Pimentel\, Learn to Earn Dayton     \nThe strategies they shared included examples such as the “Mighty Classroom” to support attendance; trusting relationships with families; support to families with how to engage with schools and advocate for their children; connect families with resources to address basic needs; and provide free literacy-based materials such as “Reading is Lit” boxes.     \n“Families can see the value of the activities and can help guide their children. We don’t want to lecture parents about terms like dialogic reading\, but we want to provide parents with ways of helping them engage their children in reading.” – Jane McGee-Rafal\, The Dayton Foundation  \nFollowing the overview of Learn to Earn Dayton’s strategies\, all attendees engaged in a group conversation using a set of structured questions and Padlet to document the discussion.  \n“Partnerships are so important because at the end of the day\, the result of what happens with these strong partners enables you to get to the goal.” Wesley O. Biles\, II\, Learn to Earn Dayton   \n\n\n\n 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/family-engagement-strategies-with-learn-to-earn-dayton/
CATEGORIES:Crucible of Practice Salon,Parents,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240312T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240312T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240223T220543Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T063147Z
UID:246624-1710255600-1710261000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Expanded Learning = Expanded Recovery: How Afterschool Programs Drive Student Progress
DESCRIPTION:This session explored why a “big bet” on afterschool is working to achieve learning progress with students — so much so that President Biden is prioritizing this big bet in his budget\, where he proposes “supporting evidence-based strategies to…expand learning time\, including both in the summer and in extended day or afterschool programs.” Afterschool programs not only advance academic progress\, they also centralize relationships and prioritize caring adults working with struggling students to serve as both the spark and the consistency that they need to feel safe\, supported and motivated to improve their school work.   \nModerator Hillary Jones of Foundations\, Inc. first engaged in discussion with her colleague Andrew Francis also of Foundations\, Inc. They unpacked how this relationship building and participation in interest-based learning activities make a real impact on students’ attitude toward learning while advancing their social and emotional development and their self-efficacy. Jen Rinehart of the Afterschool Alliance joined the discussion and shared how the federal investment in learning recovery led to the expansion of access and an increase in the quality of afterschool programs while advancing students’ developmental outcomes. Francis expressed this important aspect of afterschool programs in this way: \n[In afterschool programs\, students] come alive. They come out of their shell and they find a new me\, a new version of themselves. And that happens because they’re able not only to interact [with their peers]\, they are also interacting with other young people — maybe in lower grades or higher grades. And they’re able to establish relationships with caring adults who give them another lease on life\, and just show them that there is so much more that they can know and grow and become. So essentially the programs are effective because they challenge students to build relationships with other students and also build relationships with caring adults who help them to grow exponentially in so many ways. \nJones then engaged with two state and local afterschool leaders to explore further how the federal investments led to improved program quality and to learn about the on-the-ground tactics that make this big bet work in local communities. Katie Landes of the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network and Denieka Wicker of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington\, DC\, discussed the importance of building strong partnerships with schools and school districts and sharing student data to tailor afterschool learning activities. They also emphasized that while relationship building and positive youth development are priorities\, the opportunity to devote time to STEM and literacy and other academic areas are significant components of these programs. Landes shared information about a program in her state that was able to hone-in on early literacy: \nOne program has been able to bring in reading specialists to serve their students\, with one-on-one reading instruction\, and these reading specialists have filled in some of the cracks in the foundation that was crumbling for their students [after the pandemic]. So we’ve really seen the programs be responsive to what their young people\, their families\, their communities\, are needing in order to make their programs more accessible and a higher quality. \n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/expanded-learning-expanded-recovery-how-afterschool-programs-drive-student-progress/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240319T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240319T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040220
CREATED:20240301T204348Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240325T053700Z
UID:246849-1710851400-1710856800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Investing in the Future: Philanthropy’s Role in Strategic Public Financing for Children
DESCRIPTION:In this Funder-to-Funder Conversation\, Heather Flaherty of Chuckanut Health Foundation in Bellingham/Whatcom County\, Washington\, shared the above reflection during a panel conversation that explored the various roles funders can play to generate additional public revenue to support children and to ensure effective utilization of those public dollars. Thank you for registering for this timely and inspiring session. \nElizabeth Gaines of Children’s Funding Project (CFP) moderated the conversation\, lifting up three examples of successful local ballot measures and exploring strategies for using a 501(c)(4) philanthropic structure to advocate for increased public financing to support children’s issues. In addition to Flaherty\, the session featured Todd A. Battiste of United Way of Southeast Louisiana\, September Jarrett\, M.P.P.\, of Heising-Simons Foundation and Heising-Simons Action Fund\, and Trevor Storrs of Alaska Children’s Trust. \n\nBattiste described the years-long journey behind the Yes for NOLA Kids campaign that led to the 2022 passage of a ballot measure generating approximately $21 million annually to support early learning programming in New Orleans.\nFlaherty highlighted the various roles her foundation played over the years leading up to the 2022 passage of a ballot measure that will generate approximately $10 million annually to increase access to quality child care\, expand mental and behavioral health\, and reduce homelessness for vulnerable children.\nStorrs shared how he worked with partners in Anchorage\, Alaska\, to promote the 2023 passage of a ballot initiative to direct local sales tax dollars from the sale of recreational marijuana to support early childhood development and education.\n\nThe local funders discussed the steps they took\, including: \n\nengaging local partners in examining their local context and existing public funding streams;\nhosting community conversations and conducting polls to understand the issues and messages that resonated with community members;\nsupporting public awareness campaigns; and\nadvocating for the passage of the ballot measures.\n\nThey noted that the pandemic’s impact on the early childhood sector provided a window of opportunity. However\, they stressed that the work they put in before the pandemic ensured they were well positioned to take advantage of the opportunity. \n\n“Timing is important in gauging these things. [Alaska Children’s Institute] did the polling\, coalition building and all of those things. But it does sometimes come down to timing. We had been talking about it for several years\, so when the timing was right\, we were ready. Don’t wait for the timing to start\, start now. So when the timing happens\, you’re ready to go.” – Trevor Storrs\, Alaska Children’s Trust \n\nThey also discussed the importance of philanthropic organizations advocating for policies aligned with their missions and goals.   \n\n“Our COO is a lobbyist so we understand that lobbying is important\, and we set a policy agenda every year for our United Way….Our local Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has a committee that does the same kind of work.”  \n–Todd A. Battiste\, United Way of Southeast Louisiana  \n\nAfter the local funders described their ballot measures\, Jarrett explained why the Heising-Simons family established the Heising-Simons Action Fund as a 501(c)(4) entity to advocate for significant increases in public investment in the early childhood field\, working at the federal\, state and local levels. The Action Fund seeks to build the technical capacity of the field to advance best practices in financing and governance. It also works to build the political infrastructure and the power of the early childhood field to ensure that funding for children is prioritized and invested in consistently over time.   \n\n“Over the years\, Heising-Simons Foundation hit a limit in wins using only our private foundation strategy\, and the family sought bolder and bigger changes and greater investments in young children. They created the Heising Simons Action Fund in 2020 with the specific goal of adding a new tool to our toolkit so we could fund and support communities that were showing up and turning it out at the ballot to fight for greater investment in kids.” –September Jarrett\, M.P.P.\, Heising-Simons Foundation/Heising-Simons Action Fund  \n\nIn addition to moderating the panel\, Gaines shared information on the ways that CFP supports foundations in advancing strategic public financing\, by delivering technical assistance\, hosting institutes to provide intensive training and organizing cohorts of communities to help them pursue ballot measures. CFP also established the Children’s Funding Accelerator\, a 501(c)(4) organization that helps communities translate voter support for early childhood development into dedicated and sustained public investments. \n\n“Each one of these panelists has been embarking on this journey with us for some time. They didn’t just sort of wake up one day and land on a ballot and ask the voters to pass the measure. They really got into this by conducting fiscal maps to understand how much public funding was already coming into their communities and how much it will cost to fund goals in full and by trying to get a handle on what the full funding picture looks like for kids.”  \n-Elizabeth Gaines\, Children’s Funding Project
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/investing-in-the-future-philanthropys-role-in-strategic-public-financing-for-children/
CATEGORIES:Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Learning Loss,Past Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240319T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240319T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240223T221128Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240923T011108Z
UID:246629-1710860400-1710865800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The Power of Place: Embedding Two-Generation Approaches in Housing Developments
DESCRIPTION:During this webinar\, Sarah Haight with Ascend at the Aspen Institute moderated a conversation exploring the power of a two-generation (2Gen) approach\, using housing as a platform for programming and partnerships that support both children and adults to thrive. Haight emphasized that families are the experts in their own lives and shared compelling research to support a 2Gen approach\, including that a $3\,000 annual income increase for a parent yields a 17% increase in adult earnings for their child\, demonstrating the direct link between child and caregiver well-being. The Ascend Network supports leaders who are showing what is possible with a 2Gen approach by publishing field-building research and hosting events that advance our collective understanding and ability to apply this approach. \nAisha Nyandoro\, Ph.D.\, of Springboard to Opportunities described her organization’s work with families that live in federally subsidized affordable housing in Jackson\, Mississippi. She described their work as not only providing services but also serving as a connector for families to opportunities. Throughout her presentation\, Nyandoro stressed her approach as “radically resident-driven\,” centering the needs of the residents in all planning\, implementation\, delivery and evaluation of community programming and services. She shared Springboard’s five strategies\, including an innovative focus on socio-economic well-being through their guaranteed income program\, the Magnolia Mother’s Trust\, along with other strategies like fellowships for residents\, policy and advocacy\, and narrative change. \nArianna Thornton-West with Tacoma Housing in Washington and Liz Marsh with BangorHousing in Maine each shared their approach as housing authority leaders who have incorporated a 2Gen focus into their work. Both housing authorities have a Family Self-Sufficiency Program to support their families to meet and realize their needs and desires. Tacoma Housing employs Community Advocates and engages other partners such as the school district and programming partners to implement the program\, while BangorHousing has a unique partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Bangor to work with both children and their caregivers together at the BangorHousing site. Thornton-West described ways that Tacoma Housing gets to know a family and customizes support for them\, including through a “wheel-of-life assessment” and a family goal plan. Similarly\, BangorHousing has trained their staff to take a family-centered approach and ask families about their needs and goals\, and offers classes\, workshops and other activities to meet those needs and goals. BangorHousing is opening an Opportunity Center on-site that will bring even more resources — from health care to employment to child care — to help residents learn about and access services more easily. \nFinally\, Donna Peduto with the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative described their unique model\, supported with funding from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation\, to give grants for early literacy efforts through a program called Sparking Early Literacy. Melanie Cutright with Wood County Schools in West Virginia received one such grant to implement a summer learning program in partnership with the Parkersburg Housing Authority and the Wood County Library. She described her progress thus far in strengthening children’s early literacy and social emotional learning skills\, alongside their caregivers.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/the-power-of-place-embedding-two-generation-approaches-in-housing-developments/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Kathryn-banner-part-II_030-e1708726275987.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240326T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240321T175401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240329T181917Z
UID:247051-1711465200-1711470600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Assessing Assessments: Ensuring Quality and Equity in Teacher Licensure
DESCRIPTION:“Every child deserves to learn how to read. And there are many steps that we need to take to make sure teachers are ready to help children. But one of the ways to ensure that all teachers who enter the classroom are prepared to provide strong reading instruction is by requiring stronger licensure tests. Districts and school leaders who are hiring new teachers count on licensure\, and especially these licensure tests to vet teachers’ knowledge so that if they’re hiring somebody\, they can be confident that they actually understand the core principles of reading instruction.”– Hannah Putman\, National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) \n\nIn this Learning Tuesdays session\, panelists discussed the national landscape of teacher licensure assessments\, the correlation with teacher and student performance and how these assessments are impacting the diversity of teachers in the classroom. “Of the 25 different [teacher licensure] tests in use across the country\, only 11 of them are acceptable in that they adequately address the core components of reading\, and only six of these 11 are strong\,” according to research released in November by NCTQ (Putman). As a result of this report testing agencies\, states and teacher preparation programs are taking corrective action.   \nPeggy Brookins\, NBCT\, of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) shared that Educational Testing Service (ETS) took a reflective look at their exam\, spending four days with NBPTS\, and received hard feedback around what they were testing and what information the test provided. In response\, ETS was able to make changes to their exam.   \nCasey Sullivan Taylor\, Ed.S.\, shared the work that ExcelinEd is doing where they reviewed states’ literacy policies as well as the policies’ implementation. Taylor shared how she did this work in Mississippi — including instituting a strong policy\, adopting a strong assessment and striving to align the coursework of preparations programs — to see real change happen.  \nKaren Betz\, Ed.D.\, explained how higher education institutions such as Marian University can approach this work saying\, “a teacher preparation program is only as good as the knowledge of the instructors within it. And so high instructor knowledge becomes high and competent preservice knowledge.” Marian University has used a course alignment planning tool and feedback from partners such as NCTQ to refine its courses to best prepare students for what is really happening in K–12 classrooms. Preservice program professors must be equipped to teach literacy and be onboard with science of reading. If not\, maybe they can continue to teach “but it can’t be literacy because the price is too high. The price that we pay for not doing that work falls on the children. And as we see from our NAEP data\, it’s really falling on our Black and Brown children. And so\, we’ve got to start\, we’ve got to get it right.”  \nSo how do we address this? “Well-written policy is the foundation to start\, but what we do with it and how we implement it is going to be critical to our outcomes\,” says Taylor. “That means we’ve got to have really great strategic planning. We’ve got to think about how we move the work forward and help all stakeholders see the opportunity to invest in it and to work together collaboratively for the outcomes that are desirable…that all children have an equitable opportunity to learn to read and to have a well-trained teacher who’s equipped to teach them with scientifically based reading approaches.”  \nBrookins summed up the session in this way: “We identify preservice teachers\, make sure they’re ready for the exam that they are taking as an exit strategy\, and then make sure that exam is worth taking at the same time.”  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/assessing-assessments-ensuring-quality-and-equity-in-teacher-licensure/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240322T155739Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240530T180456Z
UID:247064-1712070000-1712075400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Starting Strong: Developing Foundational Life Skills in Kindergarten
DESCRIPTION:Moderated by Carly Roberts with Overdeck Family Foundation\, this session explored the importance of social emotional learning (SEL) and executive function skills for kindergartners\, as well as the long-term impact of implementing these programs. \nThe conversation began with Aaliyah Samuel\, Ph.D.\, of CASEL who emphasized the critical role of SEL in children’s development\, particularly in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Samuel discussed how SEL is foundational for children’s academic success and overall well-being\, highlighting its importance across all stages of life. Noting the global momentum behind SEL implementation in countries like Brazil and Colombia\, Samuel concluded by urging attendees to recognize the timeliness and significance of prioritizing SEL: \n “We really want to emphasize that social emotional learning happens anywhere and everywhere there are people\, we know the critical role that parents and families play\, as well as the broader community.”  \nElena Bodrova\, Ph.D.\, of Tools of the Mind continued the conversation by discussing the importance of executive function in children’s development. Bodrova prefaced her presentation by sharing studies that highlighted persistent concerns among kindergarten teachers regarding self-regulation issues within their classrooms. This acknowledgement\, she explained\, was a guiding force in the development of Tools of the Mind in classrooms\, where there was an attempt to integrate opportunities for children to practice self-regulation skills. Bodrova closed by sharing promising results from a recent study that demonstrated the positive outcomes of Tools of the Mind classroom interventions for both children and teachers. \nAttendees then heard from Kim Paddison Dockery\, Ed.D.\, with KPD Education who described her collaboration with Ellen Galinsky to integrate executive functioning skills into kindergarten education. Dockery explained the development of her “bridge to K” work that aims to prepare incoming kindergartners for success\, with a focus on improving executive functioning\, reading and math skills. She closed by emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to fully support students\, families and teachers before kids get to kindergarten: \n“We found that we could have a bridge to kindergarten by introducing some of these skills and getting kids a little bit more ready for the kindergarten classroom…so that’s what we set out to do.”   \nTo close the conversation\, Erin Helgren from Children’s Institute discussed her work in Yoncalla\, Oregon. A small town severely impacted by economic decline and the decline of the timber industry\, Helgren explained how education leaders in Yoncalla were determined to work together as a community to ensure kindergarten readiness and support children’s success\, regardless of their families’ economic status. Helgren noted that through parent engagement events\, parenting education classes and community activities\, they have increased parent involvement and created a welcoming school environment. 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/starting-strong-developing-foundational-life-skills-in-kindergarten/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240326T000717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240415T015013Z
UID:247109-1712665800-1712671200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Meeting Families Where They Are: Unique Strategies for Accessible Resources
DESCRIPTION:“We are getting books into the hands of children and families in Detroit. This isn’t something that we’re doing without community and without other organizations. It’s a partnership and it’s all of us working together to improve some of the outcomes here in our city that we love so very much.” – Alyce Hartman\, Birdie’s Bookmobile \n\nThe April Crucible of Practice Salon featured leaders from Birdie’s Bookmobile and 313Reads in Detroit\, Michigan\, and the Office of Early Childhood Initiatives in Milwaukee\, Wisconsin\, sharing ways in which they ensure children and families in their communities have high-quality books\, early learning materials and supportive environments. \nThe webinar began with Alyce Hartman of Birdie’s Bookmobile telling the origin story of her nonprofit organization and the ways in which she works to ensure children and families in Detroit have high-quality\, diverse books. Sources for where she gathers the books and methods of dissemination were also covered. In addition to working with partner organizations to distribute the books\, Hartman offers support for families to engage with their children using the books delivered. \n\n“We participate in hosting literacy nights. We talk about the importance of diverse books\, and books as mirrors\, windows and sliding doors. We instruct them on how to best integrate books into their homes and reading with their children.”– Alyce Hartman\, Birdie’s Bookmobile \n\nFollowing Hartman\, Leah van Belle with 313Reads discussed how their coalition is contributing to changing the community-wide system of children’s literacy. In partnership with Birdie’s Bookmobile and other organizations\, 313Reads uses a collective impact model with a vision to ensure all children\, families and adults in Detroit have equitable access to opportunities\, instruction and resources. Goals and strategies shared from their 2023–2025 strategic plan include: \n\nCentering literacy access\, equity and justice for literacy as liberation through policy advocacy and ensuring youth voice is embedded in practices;\nBuilding collective capacity for high-quality literacy programs and champions by evidence-based\, culturally-informed professional development and common assessments;  \nGrowing book access and literacy joy through special events and specific community projects; and  \nCreating a connected and impactful literacy ecosystem which includes collective funding and sustainability.   \n\n\n“This isn’t about deficit. It’s about addressing the barriers and really centering equity in that work. For us\, in getting resources to children and families\, it’s making sure that the program partners have what they need.” – Leah van Belle\, 313Reads   \n\nDea Wright with the Office of Early Childhood Initiatives in the City of Milwaukee concluded the session by sharing the large-scale work of cultivating learning opportunities and resources across the city. Wright described the foundation for Milwaukee’s awareness movement around early childhood initiatives\, which began with gathering stakeholder input about literacy habits. From there\, they launched proactive and preventive work targeting early childhood. Strategies include robust efforts to transform everyday places into learning-rich opportunities. Several specific projects were identified as examples.     \n\n“We call our awareness campaign ‘Mighty Small Moments.’ It essentially means that in small moments we help parents prepare their little ones for school from birth by making sure they have opportunities to engage in experiences that are going to promote talking and reading and just learning together.”– Dea Wright\,  Office of Early Childhood Initiatives\, City of Milwaukee 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/meeting-families-where-they-are-unique-strategies-for-accessible-resources/
CATEGORIES:Crucible of Practice Salon,Parents,Past Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/d490cc4a-3b06-4c2d-b92b-3a89f078b45d-e1711411624340.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240409T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240326T010045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T185355Z
UID:247114-1712674800-1712680200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY: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/education-recovery-scorecard-results-and-implications/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240416T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240416T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240318T223312Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240421T163628Z
UID:247040-1713270600-1713276000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Foundations for Attendance: Examining How Funders Can Help Reduce Chronic Absence
DESCRIPTION:“We use public policy\, research and data\, community investments and communications all together to leverage systemic change. And I think the work of chronic absenteeism is a great example to see this work in action\,” \n–Janice Palmer\, Senior Vice President\, Government Affairs and Public Policy\, Helios Education Foundation  \n\nThis April 16\, 2024 Funder-to-Funder conversation engaged funders working at the local\, state and national levels. Panelists shared the ways in which they are taking action to promote everyday student attendance and to reduce the concerning surges in chronic absenteeism we are seeing in communities across the country.     \nHedy Chang of Attendance Works kicked off the discussion by sharing that chronic absenteeism has almost doubled from where it was before the pandemic\, to 14.7 million students in the 2021–22 school year. While the majority of American schools are affected by this issue\, the largest increase in absenteeism was seen in elementary schools. Chang noted that a regular routine of attendance helps young children and their families become less anxious about school\, connect to peers and teachers\, and engage in learning. There are many ways that funders can make a difference. They can fund efforts that lead to effective practices\, act as brokers and help folks consider funding streams\, and connect groups to collaborate on addressing absenteeism. Because funders sometimes stay in their jobs longer than elected officials\, funders are especially well-positioned to build awareness and promote ongoing attention and action over time.   \nHolly Coleman of the Hyde Family Foundation shared that they first became aware of chronic absence as a challenge when Tennessee began publishing data. As a result of an investment in an early pilot\, the foundation learned that individual case management improved attendance for a handful of students but not at the school- or districtwide level. More recently\, the foundation funded a community of practice (COP) involving 16 local schools with the highest chronic absenteeism rate. Supported by Attendance Works\, this COP has helped local educators to understand what their attendance challenges were and develop tailored solutions. The COP allowed participants to learn from one another and to get the one-on-one support they needed\, Coleman said.  \nJill Pereira of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) discussed the funder’s work in eastern Pennsylvania\, with 22 different school districts. In 2017\, UWGLV launched the Challenge Five campaign and saw chronic absence rates move from the high teens down to single digits by 2019. The attendance work was integrated into different kinds of investments. Leveraging this success\, UWGLV helped to get chronic absenteeism embedded in state law and policy. “I think funders have a role to play in thinking about how to shift local\, state and even national policy\,” Pereira said. Pereira noted that due to the pandemic\, chronic absence was as high as 67% in some of the United Way’s community schools. But they’ve seen those rates drop down to between 29% and 20% in 2022–23. “And that’s because we’re focused on it\,” she said.  \nJanice Palmer of Helios Education Foundation reviewed the foundation’s investments in Arizona and Florida. Helios engaged with ReadOn Arizona\, a statewide early literacy initiative. A convening in January 2023 elevated chronic absence as a factor in early reading with over 150 thought leaders\, providing approaches participants could take back to their schools. Helios also is partnering with WestEd to look at chronic absenteeism in Arizona from 2017 to 2021. In Florida\, Helios is partnering with the Florida Alliance of Children’s Councils and Trust and the Florida Grade-Level Reading Campaign. Both organizations attended the chronic absence convening in Arizona\, along with leaders of the Florida Department of Education and key policymakers. As a result\, Attendance Works and Helios gave a presentation to the Florida House Education Quality Subcommittee.   \nMeghan McCormick\, Ph.D.\, of Overdeck Family Foundation shared that Overdeck sees chronic absence as a major impediment to investment in moving the needle on outcomes for students inside and outside of school. The foundation has begun to consider how to expand the research base since most studies are pre-pandemic. Overdeck is determining how it can invest in studies that help identify current root causes of chronic absence\, as well as which policies and interventions effectively improve attendance and achieve more equitable learning. The foundation hopes to collaborate with other funders as well as enhance networking among researchers to create this much-needed body of research\, which will be critical to inform efforts to improve attendance.   \nThe panel agreed that the investing in solutions to chronic absenteeism is the best approach to ensure that other investments in education\, from high-dosage tutoring to early reading support\, will have a positive impact on student achievement\, engagement in learning and well-being.  
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/foundations-for-attendance-examining-how-funders-can-help-reduce-chronic-absence/
CATEGORIES:Chronic Absence,Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240416T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240416T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240321T210635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T063330Z
UID:247070-1713279600-1713285000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY: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:  \n\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.   \n\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:  \n\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/implementation-replication-fidelity-how-to-really-scale-high-impact-tutoring/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240423T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240423T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240405T174719Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T184457Z
UID:247227-1713884400-1713889800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:EdTech Working: Enhancing Teaching & Learning AND Scaling Needed Interventions
DESCRIPTION:This 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/edtech_bigbet/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240430T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240430T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240405T175933Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T184212Z
UID:247230-1714489200-1714494600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Lessons from California's $2 Billion Settlement: Implementation of State Spending to Advance Equity
DESCRIPTION:During this webinar\, John Gomperts with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading moderated a conversation exploring the lessons of a recent historic $2 billion settlement in California on behalf of students who did not receive an equitable education during remote learning early in the pandemic. Panelists shared insights and advice relevant to anyone who wants to make sure their state resources are spent effectively to give every student what they need to be successful.   \nAmanda Mangaser Savage\, J.D.\, who is with Public Counsel and worked on the lawsuit\, laid out the case and claims their firm made with input from local organizations. The focus of the lawsuit was on the period of spring and fall 2020\, when students were learning remotely. It was found that over a million students in California\, most of whom were Hispanic and Black\, lacked digital access at home and therefore the ability to participate fully in their learning. Mangaser Savage noted\, “The fact that kids were being excluded from school\, from the remote classroom\, was a violation of their educational rights.” Mangaser Savage outlined the terms of the settlement\, which ensure that the remaining state funds allocated for learning recovery are used for evidence-based practices to specifically help the students who were harmed by lack of access to remote learning and that districts conduct needs assessments to determine which students need the most support academically.  \nJoseph Bishop\, Ph.D.\, with UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools\, served as an expert witness for the lawsuit. He shared some of the research he contributed to build the case\, including that pre-pandemic disparities in access to an equitable education only widened during the pandemic\, and little state guidance or support was being provided to schools to deal with an unprecedented education crisis. Bishop noted that these challenges are not unique to California: “We know that we’ve ended up in this space because we’ve seen these issues as strictly education issues. We’ve ignored structural racism\, we’ve ignored factors in school and out of school\, which are creating this cumulative disadvantage for young people and families across our country.”  \nLakisha Young\, of The Oakland REACH\, talked about her work to support parents to build solutions to community challenges including inequitable learning experiences. Post-pandemic\, when students returned to the classroom and families realized their children were behind academically\, The Oakland REACH launched the Liberator model\, which trains parents and caregivers to serve as literacy and math tutors\, and is already showing impressive results. She shared her philosophy around the central role of families: “Families are not just folks you engage with. They are experts\, too\, building solutions that are changing outcomes for our communities.”  \nSuperintendent Darin Brawley\, Ed.D.\, of Compton Unified School District\, is in his 13th year as superintendent and described his strategies and systems to raise academic achievement for all students and increase the graduation rate from 58% when he began to 90% today. Brawley conducts monthly “data chats” with principals\, focuses on mentoring and college readiness\, and has placed 30 wellness centers at schools to support students’ mental health. Echoing Young’s focus on solutions\, Brawley said\, “We need to stop [just] talking about equity…and we need to start implementing equity.”  \nFinally\, Natalie Wheatfall-Lum\, J.D.\, with The Education Trust-West shared her thoughts on policies and actions California and other states could implement to best advance education equity in light of the findings of this lawsuit. Additionally\, she noted that policies are not enough\, but that a “mindset shift” coupled with commitment is also required: “It’s about the will of our local and state leaders to take this issue on and not be satisfied with just maintaining the status quo\, but really making significant changes and leveraging the expertise of our communities to make that change.” 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/ca_settlement/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240507T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240507T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040221
CREATED:20240415T172219Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240530T180423Z
UID:247302-1715094000-1715099400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Back to School: Reducing Barriers to a Successful Start in Kindergarten
DESCRIPTION:This conversation\, part of CGLR’s Kindergarten Matters webinar series\, focused on actionable supports that could be provided to families as they prepare for their children to begin the kindergarten year. Chrisanne Gayl of Trust for Learning moderated the conversation and shared the above quote as she highlighted the importance of the topic. \nAttendees first heard from Swati Adarkar with the U.S. Department of Education who shared information about Secretary Miguel Cardona’s Raise the Bar: Lead the World Initiative as well as the two tracks that the Department is pursuing to advance early school success. After discussing the importance of kindergarten as an inflection point\, Adarkar emphasized the three Back to School Action Steps that the Department is focusing on: \n\nCatch up on early childhood vaccinations and well-child check ups\nEnsure early and easy kindergarten enrollment\nSupport effective transitions and summer programming\n\nIn her closing\, Adarkar shared her excitement at the opportunity to focus on these action items and highlighted resources that could support attendees’ work on advancing early school success: “We know that together we can transform the coming year for our incoming kindergartners by giving them a smooth on-ramp to early school success.” \nHeidi Schumacher\, MD\, FAAP\, of American Academy of Pediatrics then emphasized the idea that kindergarten readiness begins at birth and is influenced by a child’s early experiences\, which impact both physical and brain development. Schumacher discussed the importance of holistic child development\, including social-emotional skills and problem-solving abilities. Speaking from her experience as a pediatrician\, Schumacher outlined the multifaceted role of pediatricians in preparing children for a smooth transition into elementary school\, both through providing vital screenings and engaging with families to promote healthy behaviors. \nTo close\, Schumacher pointed to opportunities for collaboration between the health care and education sectors\, encouraging partnership and joint advocacy efforts between pediatricians and child care and school professionals: “It all comes down to trusted relationships. Sitting together in this space can be so transformative\, just starting with that simple relationship building.”  \nAttendees then heard from Jill Sells\, MD\, FAAP\, with the CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. program who\, like Schumacher\, highlighted the importance of focusing on child development from birth. Sells stressed the importance of nurturing caregiver relationships and family support for children’s learning and discussed developmental screening and monitoring\, highlighting their role in identifying developmental delays or disabilities early. \nProviding statistics on the prevalence of these delays and disabilities\, Sells underscored the benefits of early intervention for better outcomes and shared the Milestones in Action resource from the CDC. This resource allows viewers to see video examples of various milestones that a child should be achieving at a given age. Sells encouraged attendees to utilize all resources from the Learn the Signs. Act Early. program: “You can certainly spread the word through newsletters and other outreach to families….This is all about having the community involved in this work and supporting families in whatever door they walk in.”  \nKathleen Holmes with the CDC’s Let’s RISE program concluded the presentations by discussing the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school vaccinations\, highlighting declines in routine vaccination rates and the launch of the Let’s RISE program. Emphasizing the potential for disease outbreaks\, Holmes underscored the importance of partnerships with educational professionals and early care providers in supporting families to ensure children are up to date on immunizations. \nWhile acknowledging the multifactorial nature of absenteeism\, Holmes emphasized the role of routine vaccinations by sharing research that points to lowered rates of absenteeism when students are able to stay up-to date on important vaccines. Holmes closed by saying: “Small declines in vaccination coverage can have large impacts. It’s not too late to protect our communities. Routine immunization catch up is a goal that we can achieve by working together\, and we look forward to partnering with you to support kindergarten readiness by keeping kids healthy in school and ready to learn.”
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/back-to-school-reducing-barriers-to-a-successful-start-in-kindergarten/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240514T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240514T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
CREATED:20240429T230554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T185854Z
UID:247360-1715698800-1715704200@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:What's Working to Narrow Academic Achievement Gaps Post-Pandemic: Insights From School Districts and Partners
DESCRIPTION:When we speak of gaps in our education system\, we mean those related to access\, opportunity and achievement that too many students — especially students of color and who live in economically challenged families — have historically experienced and continue to experience.  \n\n\n\n\nWith this focus on gaps — and more importantly\, what we can do to close them — I am looking forward to this upcoming webinar on what’s working to narrow academic achievement gaps post-pandemic. We are inviting back three superintendents — Adrienne Battle\, Ed.D.\, in Nashville\, Mark Sullivan\, Ed.D.\, in Birmingham and Tony Watlington\, Ed.D.\, in Philadelphia— who joined us last month to share the specific systems and strategies they are using in their districts to identify and narrow gaps between low-income students and their wealthier peers\, special education and general education students\, and other groups. Also joining us for this session is superintendent of Baldwin County School District in Georgia\, Noris Price\, Ed.D. These superintendents have each made progress in narrowing access\, opportunity and academic achievement gaps. In this webinar\, they will drill down into how they are tracking and supporting specific groups of students to narrow these gaps. \n\n\n\n\n\n			\n				REGISTER\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				Please join us on May 14\, from 3−4:30 p.m. ET\, to hear from these superintendents and district partners. \n\nBattle will share how the district’s initiative\, Metro Schools ReimaginED\, engages stakeholders across the city to support students\, as well as how their mantra of “every student known” and their personalized student data dashboard enables them to track and support each student toward success. \nPrice will describe the specific gaps she is focusing on in her rural district and her progress in addressing these that has led to her being recognized as the 2022 Georgia Superintendent of the Year.\nSullivan will talk about his success in adding instructional time through week-long intersessions\, and how he leverages community resources for tutoring and other initiatives that contribute to learning recovery and the closing of achievement gaps.\nWatlington will describe how he grounds district investments in research and how the district’s four conditions for success\, including student and teacher attendance\, are driving academic achievement. \nDontrelle Young Foster of the Housing Authority of Birmingham and Jenny Bogoni of Read by 4th and the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation will weigh in on their organizations’ roles as partners for supporting district initiatives.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/whats-working-to-narrow-academic-achievement-gaps-post-pandemic-insights-from-school-districts/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240521T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240521T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
CREATED:20240501T181857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240523T215726Z
UID:247373-1716294600-1716300000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Seeding Knowledge: Harnessing Philanthropy to Cultivate Learning in Everyday Spaces
DESCRIPTION:“Something I’ve learned is that this work falls on a continuum. A literacy-rich environment can be as simple as paint and chalk on a sidewalk or can look like a much more expensive play structure. But I think the amazing thing with this work is that both of those examples can contribute to children’s learning and development. So\, I would really encourage all of the funders on this call to partner with their communities to find the approach that works best for them.”  \n\nIn the May 21\, 2024 Funder-to-Funder Conversation\, Amanda Charles of the William Penn Foundation (WPF) in Philadelphia shared the above reflection during a panel conversation that explored the various roles funders can play in creating learning-rich environments in the everyday places and spaces that families frequent.  \nJane Park of Google Kids & Families moderated the conversation\, engaging philanthropic leaders in a discussion about what a “learning happens everywhere” approach might look like in a community\, why the funders chose to invest in this approach\, the roles they are playing to engage and support local partners in embedding learning opportunities into communities\, the impact of these efforts\, and what the funders are learning in the process.   \nCharles described how WPF is piloting efforts to create literacy-rich environments in Philadelphia’s grocery stores\, libraries\, public transit spaces\, health clinics\, affordable housing complexes and other everyday spaces\, and infusing those spaces with engaging family-friendly games\, activities and programming.   \nPerri Chinalai explained how The Clinton Foundation was motivated to launch Too Small to Fail by the science of early brain and language development and now works to transform the spaces that families frequent — laundromats\, playgrounds\, transit\, etc. — and tap trusted messengers as the “secret sauce” to engage parents and caregivers in talking\, reading and singing with their children.   \nBeth Duda from The Patterson Foundation’s (TPF) Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading shared highlights from TPF’s third annual Remake Learning Days\, which featured more than 300 community events with hands-on learning activities over 15 days this spring\, noting how the planning process helped to foster a sense of community and catalyze a collective effort to support children’s early school success.  \nEric Guckian of United Way of the Greater Triangle (UWGT) described how its grantee\, Book Harvest\, helps to advance UWGT’s mission of investing in community-driven solutions that advance racial and economic justice by promoting learning in laundromats\, book hubs\, its family space and story walk.    \nBryan Stokes\, II\, explained how Robert M. McCormick Foundation supports parents as their child’s first teacher through investments in The Basics Illinois and the Chat to Learn text messaging platform\, and in transforming mundane spaces into playful learning spaces.  \nThe funders discussed the various roles they play including grantmaking but also convener\, advocate\, thought partner\, communicator and cheerleader.  \n“We share many roles here\, certainly convener in bringing people together\, but I also think of our work as a little bit of matchmaking\,” explained Duda. “We help our community members understand that they don’t have to be the entire solution all by themselves but can play a part in the solution. With Remake Learning Days\, we think of every day\, every event as being a triangle. You need an appropriate space\, high-quality content and an audience.” She explained how TPF could connect partners that could deliver pieces of the triangle all over the four-county region\, resulting in not only engaging events during Remake Learning Days but also relationships that will continue throughout the year.   \nCharles and Chinalai shared links to evaluations and studies that demonstrate the impact these efforts are having on children\, families and communities. However\, the funders stressed that other less tangible results are also important\, with Stokes noting\, “We may not be able to draw an immediate line — or even in three or four years — between that intervention and a change in test scores\, but what I do think we are able to see is the joy and excitement…about something being built in a community that might not have had resources and seeing spaces that have been underutilized now becoming community assets. There is value in that.” 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/seeding-knowledge-harnessing-philanthropy-to-cultivate-learning-in-everyday-spaces/
CATEGORIES:Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Parents,Past Event,Readiness,Summer Slide
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240521T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240521T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
CREATED:20240501T183230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251021T063906Z
UID:247385-1716303600-1716309000@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Not Just Nice But Necessary: Family Engagement = A Big Bet That’s Paying Off for Kids
DESCRIPTION:CGLR has long advocated that strategies focused on getting parents and caregivers to take part in their children’s learning progress are a “big bet” with the potential to make more than incremental change. Yet recently\, “family engagement” has become more of a catchphrase than something that is understood as a demonstrable learning recovery strategy. So in the May 21\, 2024\, CGLR took the opportunity to explore exactly how various family engagement strategies have led to measurable results for students\, including increased attendance and other many other outcomes. \nModerator and family engagement leader Kwesi Rollins of the Institute for Educational Leadership introduced the discussion by asking his longtime colleagues and national leaders Vito Borrello of the National Association for Family\, School\, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) and Yolie Flores of Families In Schools about the national landscape and what they have seen in terms of models and approaches that lead to families taking action for their children’s learning progress. Both experts agreed that building relational trust is a foundation for all other strategies and that educators need to first commit to understanding familial context. Capturing this idea\, Borrello stated: \n\nImagine if family engagement started with teachers understanding their students through the lens of a family. We talk about all these tactics\, parent-teacher conferences\, going to various events\, better understanding report cards. But if the first thing that a teacher did before the school year began was to meet a family with the sole opportunity to better understand their future student through the lens of their family\, imagine how that communicates respect\, how that would be building trust\, and\, beyond that\, how it improves teacher quality. Because if a teacher better understands that knowledge of a student and student learning\, they’re able to be a far better educator for that student in ways that will be profoundly impactful in their future. \n\nRollins then engaged with a stellar group of state\, district and community leaders who spoke about their notable partnerships and innovative approaches to family engagement\, including home visits\, text messaging\, parent ambassador programs and more. Emily Garcia of the Flamboyan Foundation with Sarah Parker of District of Columbia Public Schools\, Roxanne Saldaña Jones of the United Way of Texas with Kierstan Schwab of Texas PBS and Lisa Levasseur of Elk Grove Unified School District in California discussed their “on-the-ground” work leading to families taking specific actions in support of their children’s learning. We also had the special opportunity to learn directly from a parent. Shareeda Jones\, Flamboyan Parent Ambassador\, shared one of the most memorable quotes of the session when she said: \n\nUs as parents\, it’s not like we do not want to help. We don’t really understand how to help. And the point of even asking for help is hard. I always use this [metaphor] and say that without family engagement\, [supporting our children’s learning] is like lotion that you buy from a dollar store. You have to apply it multiple times [to get any result]. But with family engagement\, it’s like that good\, thick Vaseline lotion. It keeps you shiny\, it works and you don’t have to keep applying it when you do it the correct way.
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/familyengagement/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240528T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240528T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
CREATED:20240520T121303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240625T024138Z
UID:247517-1716908400-1716913800@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Scaling Evidence-Based Products & Programs Within Districts
DESCRIPTION:“It’s an intentional process where we use data to identify needs and then scale interventions that show promising results from initial pilots.” – H. Alix Gallagher\, Ph.D.\, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE)  \nIn this GLR Learning Tuesdays session hosted in partnership with the LEARN Network\, panelists discussed scaling evidence-based products and practices and had a detailed discussion on how to effectively implement and scale educational interventions across different contexts. Vanessa Coleman\, Ed.D.\, of SRI International emphasized that successful scaling requires not just the selection of the right curriculum but also a deep understanding of the unique needs and contexts of each school district. Coleman noted\, “It’s about understanding the unique context of each school and district and tailoring interventions to meet the specific needs of students and teachers.”  \nVictoria Armstrong shared her approach at Dinuba Unified School District in California to scaling evidence-based practices. Armstrong highlighted the importance of starting with small-scale pilots and using data to inform decisions before expanding initiatives. She explained\, “We research and find the evidence-based practices\, and then we make sure that we pilot starting at a very small scale. And we’re looking at student evidence and talking with the teachers and the participants who are piloting for us before we scale. Then we’re very deliberate in our scaling efforts.” This approach allows for adjustments based on real-world feedback and ensures that the practices are effective before broader implementation.  \n\n Alix Gallagher\, Ph.D.\, of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) discussed the role of state-level policy in supporting the scaling process and how PACE has informed this effort in California. She stressed the need for robust data systems and the development of educators’ capacity to use data effectively. Coleman explained this by saying\, “Using data to inform instructional decisions is essential for assessing student progress and adjusting practices as needed.” She also highlighted the importance of engaging all stakeholders\, including educators\, parents and policymakers\, to ensure the successful adoption and scaling of these practices.\n\nArlene Sullivan\, M.Ed.\, from AIM Institute for Learning and Research emphasized the necessity of building teacher and leader capacity to achieve lasting change in literacy outcomes. Sullivan explained that their approach involves a “learn\, practice\, apply” model to ensure that educators not only understand evidence-based practices but also know how to implement them effectively in their classrooms. She noted\, “We really dive into this fundamental belief that building teacher and leader capacity is the key for lasting literacy change.”  \nThe theme of continuous improvement was recurrent; Coleman summarized this approach by saying\, “Continuous improvement allows us to build in and define those indicators of success in real-time and within the context of roles and timing.” This method ensures that interventions are continually assessed and refined based on ongoing data and feedback\, which is crucial for scaling evidence-based practices effectively. A strategic\, data-informed approach to scaling educational practices requires contextual adaptation and highlights the pivotal role of building educator capacity and stakeholder engagement. 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/scaling-evidence-based-products-programs-within-districts/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Upcoming Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/eaf9e9c8-81e9-4fac-bbdc-c0908615fa5e-e1705963893660.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240604T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240604T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
CREATED:20240522T182734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240610T015603Z
UID:247564-1717513200-1717518600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The "Sturdy Bridge": Ensuring a Seamless Transition to Kindergarten
DESCRIPTION:In this Kindergarten Matters session\, Paula Grubbs\, Ph.D.\, from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute\, UNC Chapel Hill served as moderator\, leading panelists through the conversation while sharing insights from her work as lead of the Kindergarten Sturdy Bridge Learning Community. \nAttendees first heard from Stacy Ehrlich Loewe\, Ph.D. with NORC at the University of Chicago who served as Principal Research Scientist & Project Director on the Head Start to Kindergarten Transitions Project. The project\, Loewe explained\, was created to determine the best ways to achieve effective transitions from Head Start to kindergarten. Through their research\, the program team developed a “four P’s” framework — policies\, perspective\, professional supports and practices — which is important for successful transitions. \nFollowing Loewe’s dissection of the research\, attendees then heard from on-the-ground experts who shared their experiences supporting smooth transitions into kindergarten. Olivia Christensen\, Ph.D.\, with the Minnesota Department of Education began by discussing the department’s shift from traditional “readiness” terminology toward a more inclusive concept known as the “Successful Learner Equation.” Christensen explained that the department has engaged with schools\, community partners and families to promote this new messaging\, and has uncovered the need for collective collaboration across different entities to create supportive environments for children entering kindergarten. \nChristensen closed\, “We’re using the successful learner equation to really dedicate time and space to listen to our partners\, to pay attention to the field\, then to reflect back on how the state can be more ready to identify where we can provide support\, make improvements and seek collaboration with other entities.” \nAttendees also heard from Janice Kilburn\, Ph.D.\, with South Carolina First Steps who stressed the significance of kindergarten transition\, reflecting on the lasting impact it holds for students. Kilburn highlighted the emotional and biological aspects of this milestone\, emphasizing the spike in cortisol levels and the symbolic nature of starting school. She also discussed South Carolina First Steps’ dedication to smoother transitions for all students\, particularly for at-risk early school children\, through its “Countdown to Kindergarten program.” The program\, Kilburn explained\, involves personal home visits by future kindergarten teachers\, helping to ease the transition by establishing strong relationships from the beginning. \n“If we can concentrate on children and families\, especially those with challenges to school success\, and provide them with solid transition supports\, we’re going to experience success\,” Kilburn closed. \nSharonda Johnson from the South Carolina Department of Education also shared her perspective on the work happening within the state\, with special emphasis on the importance of foundational literacy and family engagement in children’s long-term academic success. As a Learning Engagement Coach\, Johnson underscored that children’s future success hinges on providing them with a robust educational foundation. She views early childhood educators as crucial “MVPs” in the process. Johnson also emphasized the importance of making families feel comfortable and welcomed in school environments\, even if it requires educators to adapt their approaches. She believes that when parents are equipped with the necessary tools and strategies\, they feel confident and capable of contributing to their child’s educational journey. \nJohnson closed by encouraging attendees to consider the family perspective\, “I think a lot of the time it’s not necessarily that they don’t want to help\, they just don’t know how or they don’t feel comfortable. Just being able to provide them with strategies can help them become a part of that conversation.” \nTo close\, attendees heard from Jessie Cuadra\, Psy.D.\, with Families In Schools who shared her experience as a former Family Engagement Manager for a Head Start Birth to Five grantee in Southern California. Drawing on experience from her previous and current role\, Cuadra shared the importance having reflective practices in planning and improving transition services for young learners\, highlighting the need to review the effectiveness of these services and their impact on children\, families and communities. She also discussed how vital it is to dig into personal narratives and peer support in fostering relationships between staff and families. Cuadra encouraged attendees to always link family engagement efforts to children’s learning outcomes\, ensuring that families understand the impact of their involvement on their child’s success. \nCuadra concluded\, “I encourage everyone to step into spaces where we can have these difficult\, authentic conversations to help us show up for our young learners and families.”
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/the-sturdy-bridge-ensuring-a-seamless-transition-to-kindergarten/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Upcoming Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240611T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240611T140000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
CREATED:20240522T184452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240614T213753Z
UID:247568-1718109000-1718114400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
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:20260404T040222
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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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240618T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240618T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
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:20260404T040222
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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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240702T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240702T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T040222
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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END:VEVENT
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