Read Well by Third Grade

1. Read Well by Third Grade Literacy Plan Writing Workshop MRVED

2. MRVED Website • Under Curriculum: Read Well • Resources including links & documents. • You can access today without logging in. • You will need to log in after today to access the materials.

3. Key Components of Minnesota’s 2011 Education Bill: Literacy • Goal: to ensure reading proficiency by the end of third grade for ALL children. • Identify before the end of grades K, 1, & 2 students who are at risk of not learning to read and are not reading at grade level. • Districts must have one or more local assessments and report results to the commissioner annually by June 1. • Scientifically based reading instruction. • Parent Notification. • Interventions. • Staff Development. • Adopted plan must be located on official school district website.

4. Third Grade Reading Proficiency • Districts must be using comprehensive scientifically based reading instruction to achieve the goal. • Requires districts to identify students who are not reading at grade level. • Requires reading assessments to identify and evaluate students‘ areas of academic need related to literacy. • Requires schools at least annually to give the parent of each student who is not reading at or above grade level timely information about the student's reading proficiency, services being provided to the student, and strategies for parents to help their student succeed in reading.

5. Third Grade Reading Proficiency • Requires providing reading intervention to accelerate student growth. • Staff development for elementary teachers to include: • Implementation of the five reading areas of comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction. • Recognition of students' diverse needs in cross-cultural settings. • Meeting the oral language and linguistic needs of students who are English Learners. • Commissioner of Education is to make available examples of methods or programs that provide comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction and intervention methods.

6. Literacy Incentive Aid • Begins FY 2013 • Includes Proficiency Aid and Growth Aid • Proficiency aid = $85 x school’s enrollment on October 1 of the previous year x percent of third graders meeting or exceeding proficiency on the third grade reading MCA, averaged across the previous three test administrations (FY 10, 11 & 12 for FY 13 aid). • Growth aid = $85 x school’s enrollment on October 1 of the previous year x percent of fourth graders making medium or high growth on the reading MCA, averaged across the previous three test administrations. • For FY 2013 only, state total aid is capped at $48,585,000. No proration is anticipated, but will depend on 2011 & 2012 test results.

7. Literacy Incentive Aid:Example Calculation • In 2010: • 80% of 3rd graders were proficient in reading on MCAs. • 75% of 4th graders made medium or high growth in reading on MCAs. • Example calculation: • Assume state average proficiency & growth percents from above • Assume 400 students enrolled in the school on prior October 1 • Proficiency Aid = $85 x 400 x 80% = $27,200 • Growth Aid = $85 x 400 x 75% = $25,500 • Total Literacy Aid = $52,700 • In the example, the aid comes to $132 per student enrolled at the school ($52,700 / 400 students)

8. Literacy Aid • Only those schools enrolling students in grades 3 or 4 and with MCA test results from the prior year generate revenue for the district or charter school. • Schools with a broader grade span (e.g., K-8 elementary) generate more with a given set of test results than schools with a narrower grade span (e.g., K-3 elementary). This is probably an unintended consequence and may be adjusted down the road. • While aid is generated using school level data, there is no requirement for funds to be spent at the school generating the revenue. • The aid may be used for any general fund purpose.

9. Scientifically Based Reading Instruction • 122A.06 subd. 4: Current definition of scientifically based reading instruction: • “The program or collection of practices must include at a minimum, effective, balanced instruction in all five areas of reading…” • Defined by the National Reading Panel (2000) as Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. • “Comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction also includes and integrates instructional strategies for continuously assessing, evaluation, and communicating student’s reading progress and needs in order to design and implement ongoing interventions so that students of all ages and proficiency levels can read and comprehend text and apply higher level thinking skills.” • Nothing in legislation limits or restricts the authority of school districts to select program or curriculum, or develop instruction. School districts can use new or existing materials and practices to best meet the needs of students.

10. Remediation vs Intervention • Remediation: • Focus is on “fixing” a problem • Typically a pull-out approach (“instead of”) • Long-term support • Slow paced instruction that waters down curriculum • Focuses on one skill • Intervention: • Focuses on preventing failure • Instruction that is “in addition to” • Short-term support • Fast-paced instruction that promotes acceleration • Focuses on the reading process

11. MDE Read Well Page • http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/ReadWell/index.html • Archived Webinars • Handouts from Webinars • Assessment information • Literacy Plan Checklist • Minnesota’s Blueprint for Literacy • Appraisal Tools for Evaluating: • Instructional Leadership Capacity • Data Driven Decision Making Processes • Multi-tiered systems of support

12. MDE Read Well Page • What is Scientifically Based Reading Instruction? (document at bottom of the page) • Lots of great resources and links to other websites and articles. • Specifically addresses the Five Elements of Reading.

13. Literacy Data Submission • Every district enrolling K-3 students must submit data on reading proficiency for all students in Kindergarten through Grade 2 to MDE by June 1, 2012. • View the Reading K-3 Data Upload page to create and submit your plan. • Instructions are provided. BUT lots of information is requested. Start early! • The template of data on reading proficiency must also be a part of your Literacy Plan.

14. Let’s get to work! • Each team will receive a flash drive with the documents loaded on them. • Mary customized the district name, number, and MCA scores for each of your districts. • Remember to save as you work. When you get back to your district, save the document on your server. • All yellow highlighted areas will need to be changed or affirmed as correct by you. • When you are done, do a “ctrl A”, and then select “no fill” to get rid of the yellow highlights.