District literacy plan

Rodrigues: "product that we have developed 16-18 months"
backup is here
not just an add on; in alignment with curriculum renewal
professional development has been a focus of our work
"read fluently, comprehend deeply, think critically, and respond effectively"
document to develop higher order thinking skills
"to create implement, monitor, and improve all components of literacy"
grant received from DESE to use "Keys to Literacy" for developing plan
rationale and vision, then definition and goal
collected and evaluated data
action planning leading to implementation of plan
develop subcommittee charged with a task: leadership planning; family and community; assessment & use of data; literacy instruction for all; literacy intervention; literacy PD
organizational structure to produce feedback and communicate
four goals:

1. ensuring everyone understand the definition of literacy as well as its role in teaching and learning
2. creating high quality literacy professional development
3. engaging family and community to support literacy focus
4. developing systems (further) to support use of literacy data

Goals are not separate, they are aligned, overlap how these groups are working together

have begun work on some of these strategies

Boone: thank Rodrigues for his work

move this beyond a single paragraph to how we address literacy across the board to greater success

Ramirez: congratulations, this is the kind of work that I was hoping to see in my time here on the School Committee, very passionate about literacy

even literacy of math and science is something all principals are talking about

any consideration for how we connect to real world? higher ed?

education is changing because the economy is changing

requests that it be referred to Teaching and Learning

Monfredo: there are no learning gaps in children, just opportunity gaps

see there are strategies around grade level reading by the end of grade 3

reaching out to the community

pre-K to 12? Yes

funding through the foundation budget for preschool

Rodrigues: have final draft of literacy, most are initiating now

motion for update on the four goals

Biancheria: appreciate this report, Monfredo has carried the flag on literacy, but we all agree of its importance

question on number 4: presentation on usage of data, how we look for best practices in Accountability

timeframe? grant expired, used to produce this document

sustainability and development of plan was what was funded by the grant
grant money for plans, then they're looking for school systems to pick up the costs (which is entirely true)
Boone: building internal capacity, building human capital...even if grant leaves, we can go further and continue with it

O'Connell: multifaceted plan, new matrix in place
support referral to TLSS with reports back and data focus in Accountability
goal 3: can add representation of Latino community, CPPAC, diverse population in the city
Boone: levels of diversity within initial group, try to put together

And then I asked some questions