what state leaders can do to support middle grades literacy achievement comments from alabama middle...
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WHAT STATE LEADERS CAN DO WHAT STATE LEADERS CAN DO TO SUPPORT MIDDLE GRADES TO SUPPORT MIDDLE GRADES
LITERACY ACHIEVEMENTLITERACY ACHIEVEMENT
COMMENTS FROM ALABAMACOMMENTS FROM ALABAMA
Middle Grades Literacy ForumSeptember 28-29, 2006Phoenix, Arizona
Alabama’s Literacy Efforts1997-2006
CONTEXTCONTEXT
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WHAT IS THE ALABAMA WHAT IS THE ALABAMA READING INITIATIVE?READING INITIATIVE?
• A statewide movement• Anchored by reading research• Aimed at ultimately achieving grade-level reading for all of Alabama’s public school students
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HOW IS IT ACHIEVING ITS HOW IS IT ACHIEVING ITS GOAL?GOAL?
Through intensive teacher development efforts and ongoing support for coaches and principals that are the heart and soul of the initiative.
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THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURETHE ALABAMA LEGISLATUREPROVIDED FUNDINGPROVIDED FUNDING
• 16 schools in 1998-1999 $ 1,500,000(Private Sources)
• 81 schools in 1999-2000 $ 6,000,000• 267 schools in 2000-2001 $10,000,000• 423 schools in 2001-2002 $11,300,000• 450 schools in 2002-2003 $12,500,000• 485 schools in 2003-2004 $12,500,000• 511 schools in 2004-2005 $40,000,000• 753 schools in 2005-2006 $56,000,000• 900 schools in 2006-2007 $56,000,000
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• 90 Middle Grades (4-8, 4-12, 5-7, 5-8, 6-7, 6-8, 7-8, 7-9, K-7, K-8)
• 18 Bonafide High Schools (9-12 or 10-12)
• 9 Grades 6-12, 7-12
• 6 Grades K-12
(If we add intermediate schools, the total would be 135.)
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123 Schools with Grade 7 and Higher
SECONDARY SCHOOLSSECONDARY SCHOOLSIN ARIIN ARI
HOW WERE READING HOW WERE READING INITIATIVE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE SCHOOLS
INITIALLY SELECTED? INITIALLY SELECTED?
• It was voluntary
• Schools were selected from a pool of applicants that made seven commitments
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SEVEN COMMITMENTS OF SEVEN COMMITMENTS OF ARI SCHOOLSARI SCHOOLS
1. Set 100% literacy as a goal.
2. Achieve commitment of at least 85 percent of faculty.
3. Attend an intensive training program.
4. Be led by the principal.
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SEVEN COMMITMENTS SEVEN COMMITMENTS OF ARI SCHOOLSOF ARI SCHOOLS
5. Adjust their reading instruction accordingly.
6. Model research-based reading instruction for other schools.
7. Be evaluated by an outside evaluator.
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INITIAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTINITIAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SECONDARY SCHOOLSSECONDARY SCHOOLS
Day 1- Conceptual Framework: What interferes with reading comprehension?
Formal Assessment: What does the data say about students at our school?
Faculty Meeting: What does the research say about struggling readers? How do we anticipate serving struggling readers?
Day 2- Informal Assessment
Faculty Meeting: What is our plan for informally assessing struggling readers?
Day 3- Vocabulary Development
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Day 4 - Comprehension Instruction
Day 5 - Comprehension Instruction
Faculty Meeting: How can we organize schoolwide to give struggling readers what they need to be
successful?
Day 6- Content Area Reading
Day 7- Reading/Writing Connection
Day 8 - Reading/Writing Connection
Faculty Meeting: What policies and practices need to
be in place to increase the amount of reading and the amount of writing?
Day 9- Content Area Writing
Day 10- Faculty Meeting: What is our plan for serving
struggling readers?11
FINDINGS FROM THE FINDINGS FROM THE ALABAMA READING ALABAMA READING
INITIATIVE EVALUATIONSINITIATIVE EVALUATIONS
First Four Years of Implementation
19981998--1999199919991999--2000200020002000--2001200120012001--20022002
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0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
NC
E Po
ints
Rel
ativ
e to
Non
-AR
I Sch
ools
Elementary Middle High
ARI Schools Stanford 9 Reading Scores
Average Reading Comprehension Gains, by Grade Level
Chart 3
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0.53
-0.4
7
0.52
-0.4
6
0.60
-0.5
0
1.23
-0.5
5
1.60
-0.4
5
1.37
-0.3
8
-0.8
-0.4
0.0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
NCE
Poin
ts
Gr 3 Gr 4 Gr 5 Gr 6 Gr 7 Gr 8
Value-Added by GradeARI Schools vs. Non-ARI, 2003 - Reading Comprehension
ARInot
YEAR 5 EVALUATIONYEAR 5 EVALUATION
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AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH STUDYRESEARCH STUDY
2004 Findings2004 Findings
1.1. Differentiate the models used for implementing Differentiate the models used for implementing primary/elementary and intermediate/secondary primary/elementary and intermediate/secondary literacy initiatives.literacy initiatives.
2.2. Create a community of learners in which teachers, Create a community of learners in which teachers, coaches, and administrators work as a team.coaches, and administrators work as a team.
3.3. Provide secondary schools with consistent support Provide secondary schools with consistent support from specialized staff.from specialized staff.
4.4. Be attentive to the local, state, and national policy Be attentive to the local, state, and national policy environment to maintain emphasis on secondary environment to maintain emphasis on secondary literacy.literacy. 15
WHAT HAS ADOLESCENT WHAT HAS ADOLESCENT LITERACY LOOKED LIKE FROM LITERACY LOOKED LIKE FROM
2002 TO 2006?2002 TO 2006?• 30 secondary schools used local funds to become
ARI schools
• 4 Regional Reading Coaches supported 135 intermediate, middle, and high schools
• ARI studied recent research and updated model for secondary schools
• ARI wrote Striving Readers grant but did not submit
• ARI released RFP, seeking to reignite adolescent literacy effort 16
WHAT MADE SPARKS FLY AGAIN?WHAT MADE SPARKS FLY AGAIN?
Reading Next: A Vision for Reading Next: A Vision for Action and Research in Action and Research in Middle and High School Middle and High School
LiteracyLiteracy
Biancarosa, G., and Snow, C.E. (2004)Biancarosa, G., and Snow, C.E. (2004)
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THE FIFTEEN ELEMENTS OF THE FIFTEEN ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE ADOLESCENT LITERACY EFFECTIVE ADOLESCENT LITERACY
PROGRAMSPROGRAMS
InstructionalImprovements
1. Direct, explicit comprehension instruction
2. Effective instructional practices embedded in content
3. Motivation and self-directed learning
4. Text-based collaborative learning
5. Strategic tutoring6. Diverse texts7. Intensive writing8. A technology component
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THE FIFTEEN ELEMENTS OF THE FIFTEEN ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE ADOLESCENT LITERACY EFFECTIVE ADOLESCENT LITERACY
PROGRAMSPROGRAMS
InfrastructuralImprovements
9. Ongoing formative assessment of students
10. Extended time for literacy11. Professional development12. Ongoing summative
assessment of students and programs
13. Teacher teams14. Leadership 15. A comprehensive and
coordinated literacy program
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LAUNCHED ARI-PALLAUNCHED ARI-PAL
• Released an RFP to 130 LEAs (April, 2006)
• Anticipated forming 8-10 partnerships
with selected LEAs
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THE PARTNERSHIPTHE PARTNERSHIP
ARIProfessionalDevelopment
and Weekly Support
LEALeadership
and
Financial Support
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THE QUESTIONSTHE QUESTIONS
1. What does it take?
2. What is the cost?
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LAUNCHED ARI-PAL LAUNCHED ARI-PAL (Cont.)(Cont.)
• Received 30 proposals (May, 2006)
• Selected 14 partners (May, 2006)
• Trained 14 faculties (Summer, 2006)
• Purchased GRADE for a common informal measure
• Provided $140 per student to assist intervention ($25,000 - $140,000)
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WHAT WILL WE DO IN THE WHAT WILL WE DO IN THE MONTHS AHEAD?MONTHS AHEAD?
• We will study the ARI-PAL implementation and results and make any adjustments needed to increase effectiveness.
• We will continue to seek incentives to motivate LEAs to invest resources in practices that have proven effectiveness for adolescent literacy.
• We will make use of 14 ARI-PAL pilot schools as demonstration sites that can partner with other LEAs.
• We will seek other partners (LEAs, business community, legislature) who can increase the resources available for expansion.
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CONTACT INFORMATIONCONTACT INFORMATION
Katherine A. Mitchell, Assistant State Superintendent of Education for Reading
Director, Alabama Reading Initiative
Director, Alabama Reading First Initiative
Phone: 334-353-1570
E-mail: [email protected]
Reeda Betts
Secondary Specialist, Alabama Reading Initiative
Phone: 334-353-1389
E-mail: [email protected] 25