Iowa Reading Research Center

Iowa Reading Research Center Michelle Hosp Ph.D., Director Sally Huddle Ph.D., Coordinator/Research Assistant

A Call to Action Nearly 25% = 8,706 third graders are NOT proficient in reading 1 in 4

Establishment of IRRC • Formed during the 2012 legislative session (Senate File 2284), with continued appropriations in the 2013 session. • Under the auspices of the Iowa Department of Education. • Fiscal Agent is Grant Wood AEA within the AEA consortium

IRRC Team • Michelle Hosp (Director) • Sara McInerny (Communications Liaison) • Sally Huddle (Research Assistant/Coordinator) • Tracy Donohue (Literacy Consultant) • Cheryl Cook (Literacy Consultant for next year) • Therese York (Secretary)

Advisory Council The role of the Advisory Council is to promote knowledge regarding literacy instruction that supports the mission and goals of the Center. The council meets quarterly to advise and provide assistance to the IRRC.

Purpose of IRRC To apply current research for the development and dissemination of best practices around literacy instruction so that every child in Iowa will achieve reading proficiency.

Instructional Strategies and Evidence-based Interventions • Commissioned report with regent universities to determine the current state of literacy instruction in Iowa • A wide variety of approaches are used to teach reading • A wide variety in the number of instructional minutes 30 up to 180+ (majority between 61-90) • Teacher and principal knowledge regarding the reading interventions in their schools varies widely • Current and Future: Working with national experts to identify evidence-based strategies and interventions

Models for Effective School Community Partnerships • Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids (C4K) • On-line resources for families to support literacy practices • Current and Future Work: • Family resources for English Language Learners • Family resources for Readers who are Struggling • Expand website communications

Reading Assessments FAST (Formative Assessment System for Teachers) • EarlyReading kindergarten and first grade • CBMReading first through sixth grade • aReading kindergarten through sixth grade IGDIs (Individual Growth and Development Indicators) Current and Future Work: Train Colleges and Universities on Assessments

Statewide Data System Iowa TIER: Tools for Innovation in Educational Results • Downloads directly from schools student information systems • Automatically incorporates the FAST and IGDIs data and graphs data • Log, store, and graph information related to interventions students receive • Current and Future Work: Train Colleges and Universities on Data System

Professional Development • Training in Summer 2013 for reading assessments and data system Future: • Support learning for evidence-based strategies and interventions

Intensive Summer Literacy Program • Information on Summer Reading Loss currently available on website • Current and Future Work: Identify program criteria and guidelines for IntensiveSummer Reading Program.

Imagine if… • You are a parent and your child’s teacher tells you they are working with your child on vocabulary. • The teacher suggests you could help at home…but how? • The IRRC will provide a “one-stop” shop for families to help support their children with reading at home.

Family Resources • Goal: The IRRC website will house a collection of online literacy resources for families to use to support their children’s literacy at home. • Informational videos • Articles • At-home activities • Virtual activities • Applications for smartphones/tablets

Process for Family Resources • Step 1: Gather Resources • Consult with an AEA consultant, Alison Bell, to compile resources. She collected over 500 online resources. • Step 2: Develop Criteria to Review Resources • Consult with a national expert, Joan Walker, Ph.D., from Pace University on development of criteria to use to evaluate resources. Joan drafted the criteria and met regularly with the IRRC team and small focus groups to discuss her progress.

Process for Family Resources • Step 3: Vet the Criteria and Process to Date • Assemble a vetting group to review Joan’s criteria and to provide feedback. • Reconvene once revisions have been made to criteria. • Step 4: Identify people to conduct reviews

Vetting Group Members • IRRC Team • Iowa Department of Education • AEA Consultants • Child and Family Policy Center • Drake University • University of Iowa • Parents/Caregivers • United Way

Reviewers Currently: • 18 consultants (spanning 8 out of 9 AEAs) • Recommendations from Ed Services Directors • 15 parents (spanning from Eastern Iowa to Northwest Iowa) • PTA of Iowa • Decoding Dyslexia • Principal recommendations • PEC contacts from AEAs

Process for Family Resources • Step 5: Train Reviewers • Train teams of reviewers (both educators and parents/caregivers from across Iowa) on how to use criteria to evaluate resources. • Step 6: Complete Reviews • Have teams of reviewers complete evaluations through an online system (PubCentral).

Resources on Website We will have a page on our website that parents can filter searches based on the following topics in hopes to resources to best meet their needs:

Example website • Filter search • Checkboxes • Taper it down Example

Sharing Across Iowa • Available early fall (September most likely) • Reaching out to schools and libraries • PR company assisting • Ideas from participants?

ELL Resources • Replicate process for English Language Learners • Replicate process for struggling readers • Interested in participating in work, please contact shuddle@gwaea.org

Questions… www.IowaReadingResearch.org

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Contact Us • Michelle Hosp, Ph.D. • mhosp@IowaReadingResearch.org • 319-399-6730 • Therese York • tyork@IowaReadingResearch.org • 319-399-6431 • Sally Huddle • shuddle@gwaea.org • Tracy Donohue • tdonohue@IowaReadingResearch.org • Sara McInerny • smcinerny@IowaReadingResearch.org

Iowa Reading Research Center