Steps to Improvement: Reading; it's in the Data - Secondary Reading Initiative

Goals:

• To provide professional development in research based reading strategies
• To utilize the Iowa Professional Development Model to improve student achievement in reading
• To build a learning community around literacy

Schools currently participating are being trained in the following researched based reading strategies:

• Read Alouds
• Question-Answer Relationship (QAR)
• Visual Representations (Graphic Organizers)

Professional Development is delivered through Leadership Teams:

• Strategy expertise is developed within the staff through a Building Leadership Team (BLT) using the training of trainers model
• The premise of this model is to build capacity within the school faculty so the initiative will sustain itself beyond the original training

Building Leadership Teams:

• Have the opportunity to practice scientifically based reading strategies
• Learn how to collect, organize and analyze both student performance data and implementation data
• Deliver professional development in their buildings

Looking at the Data…Again

• The summative data clarifies the direction to move for staff development in the upcoming academic year
• The studies of data will reveal:
• Which area of reading to focus on next
• The delivery of professional development
• The selection of the scientifically-based reading researched strategy best suited to the results of the data analysis.