Excellent Public Schools Act

1. Excellent Public Schools Act READ TO ACHIEVE A Focus on Improving K-3 Literacy 2013

2. Growing and Supporting Readers At Lacy

3. Reading Problems and Dropout • • A student who can’t read on grade level by 3rd grade is 4 times less likely to graduate by age 19 than a child who reads proficiently by that time. • Add POVERTY to the mix, and a student is 13 times less likely to graduate on time. • Students who did not read proficiently at 3rd grade constitute 88% of those who did not earn a HS diploma.

4. Reading Problems and Dropout • Low reading skills in 3rd grade are a stronger predictor of dropping out of school than having spent at least one year in poverty. • Donald J. Hernandez: “Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation.” Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2011

6. Excellent Public Schools Act § 115C-83.1A. State goal. The goal of the State is to ensure that every student read at or above grade level by the end of third grade and continue to progress in reading proficiency so that he or she can read, comprehend, integrate, and apply complex texts needed for secondary education and career success.

7. Improving K-3 Literacy • Aims of Read to Achieve • Difficulty with reading development is identified as early as possible; • Students receive appropriate instructional and support services to address difficulty with reading development and to remediate reading deficiencies;

8. What do we currently have in place that addresses these efforts?

9. Literacy at Lacy • An Overview from Mrs. Blomquist • Lacy’s Literacy Specialist • Literacy and intervention support • An increase in rigor with Common Core • Purpose and benefits of mClass • How parents can help

11. The Big Bang Theory of • 1. Decide what is important for students to know. • 2. Teach what is important for students to know. • 3. Keep track of how students are showing what they know. • 4. Make changes according to the data and results you collect! David Tilly, 2005

12. Implementation of the North Carolina General Assembly’s Read to Achieve Program

13. 7 Components of NC Read to Achieve • Developmental Screening and Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) • Facilitating Early Grade Reading Proficiency • Parent/Guardian Notification • Elimination of Social Promotion • Successful Reading Development for Retained Students • Accountability Measures • Comprehensive Reading Plan

14. North Carolina General Assembly’s Read to Achieve Program Grade Level Implementation Plan Goal: The goal of the State is to ensure that every student read at or above grade level by the end of third grade. Personalized Education Plans (PEP) with Evidence Based Instructional Supports Notifications to Parents and Guardians 3rd/4th transition class or accelerated reading class Formative and Diagnostics Mid-year promotion Begin Portfolio Kindergarten Entry Assessment Retention/Elimination of Social Promotion • Annual Reporting: Accountability Measures (LEAs and DPI) • Website • Report Reading Interventions to SBE • SBE and DPI Technical Assistance • Reading Development for Retained Students • Summer Reading Camp • Plan for Reading at Home (if retained once) • Supplemental Tutoring (if retained twice) G.S. 115C-83.1A-I

15. 7 Components of North Carolina Read to Achieve 2013-2014 • Developmental Screening and Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) • Will be in place for fall of 2014 • Will include 5 domains of school readiness • Language and literacy development • Cognition and general knowledge • Approaches toward learning • Physical well-being and motor development • Social and emotional development • Will replace the KIA • Will include the mCLASS assessments for literacy

16. 7 Components of North Carolina Read to Achieve 2013-2014 2. Facilitating Early Grade Reading Proficiency • Formative and Diagnostic assessments for K-3 students • Instruction reflects research in reading (Big 5) • Develop relationships with outside agencies • WAKE Up and Read-focus on school readiness

17. The Big 5 In Literacy • There are 5 Big Ideas in Beginning Reading: • Phonemic Awareness • Alphabetic Principle • Fluency with Text • Vocabulary • Comprehension

18. 7 Components of North Carolina Read to Achieve 2013-2014 3. Parent/Guardian Notification • Regular communication • PEP • mCLASS Home Connect Letters—Going home Oct 7th with interims.

19. Home Connect Letters

20. 7 Components of North Carolina Read to Achieve 2013-2014 4. Elimination of Social Promotion If student fails to demonstrate proficiency on 3rd grade reading EOG • Opportunity for retest/Alternative Assessment • Good Cause Exemption • Summer School • Portfolio

21. Develop a Portfolio For Students At Risk • A compilation of independently produced student work selected by the student’s teacher and signed by the teacher and principal as an accurate picture of the student’s reading ability. • It shall include an organized collection of evidence of the student’s mastery of the states reading standards that are assessed by the state’s approved standardized test of reading comprehension administered to 3rd grade students.

22. 7 Components of North Carolina Read to Achieve 2013-2014 5. Successful Reading Development for Retained Students • Starts 2014 • 3rd/4th transition class or • Accelerated reading class 6. Accountability Measures—State assessments and EVAAS data for teachers 7. Comprehensive Reading Plan-developed by school

23. 7 Components of NC Read to Achieve • Developmental Screening and Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) • Facilitating Early Grade Reading Proficiency • Parent/Guardian Notification • Elimination of Social Promotion • Successful Reading Development for Retained Students • Accountability Measures—State assessments and EVAAS data for teachers • Comprehensive Reading Plan-developed by school

24. Student completes 3rd grade and EOG for reading End of Third Grade Proficient? No Re-administer 3rd grade reading assessment or RtA Test Yes Proficient? No Yes Promote to 4th grade Student Qualifies for a “good cause exemption” Yes No *Enrollment in Summer Camp is the decision of the parent. If the choice is not to enroll in Summer Camp, the student is retained to a 3rd grade classroom. ** If the student has already been retained once, the LEA/school shall provide a plan for reading at home, including a contract with parent/guardian. Enrollment in Summer Reading Camp* Yes RtA Test or Student Reading Portfolio G.S. 115C-83.1A-I Proficient? No Retained for 3rd Grade (label)**

25. Summer Reading Camp • Runs for 6 weeks: 4 days a week for 3 hours • Only focuses on Reading Instruction • During the summer, in order to demonstrate proficiency, students can take a reading assessment 3x or show evidence of mastery through a reading portfolio • Only special education students on the Non-standard course of study in self contained classrooms are exempt from the retention guidelines • Students who don’t demonstrate mastery will be enrolled with fourth grade peers and, as part of their day, receive 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction. Students’ progress toward evidence of mastery is tracked through the reading portfolio.

26. Resources • http://www.wcpss.net/what-we-teach/curriculum/read-to-achieve.html • Excellence Education Act • Read to Achieve Guidebook • Read to Achieve Parent Resources (parent letter, glossary, brochure) • Websites for parents on literacy strategies and tips