Birmingham City Schools
Department of Reading/Language Arts, K-5
“Reading is the New Civil Right!”
BCS’ Five Year Literacy Plan
(2006-2011)
Dimple J. Martin, PhD, Director
CONTENTS
Introduction 3
- Literacy Infrastructure 5
- Curriculum/Instruction 7
- Assessment 9
- Professional Development 11
- Partnerships and Collaborations 13
- Program Evaluation 15
- Timeline for Development and Implementation 16
Appendix 18
INTRODUCTION
We Believe:
Intelligence is not static and all students can learn to read.
We Believe:
Literacy is the foundation for learning. It is our district’s New Civil Right for all students.
Definition of Literacy:
Literacy is knowing how to read and write well enough to function in society.
Literacy is constructive
Readers use their existing knowledge- what they already know- to construct an understanding of text. Writers use existing knowledge to construct a meaningful text.
Literacy is fluent
Readers and writers master basic processes to the point where the processes are automatic.
Literacy is strategic
Readers and writers are aware of their purpose for reading and writing, the nature of the material, and whether what they read or write makes sense.
Literacy is motivating
Readers and writers find written material interesting and informative. Readers and writers believe that they are capable of reading and writing to communicate effectively with others.
BCS’ District-wide Literacy Plan
Mission: Birmingham City School District (BCS) is committed to providing students with a comprehensive and enriching literacy foundation to prepare them to be successful in a global society. Rigorous and relevant instruction in listening, speaking, reading and writing is the focus for literacy learning in all classrooms.
Expected outcomes for students:
q By 2011 every student will progress and/or meet or exceed state standards in reading and writing as measured by state assessments.
q Each year, every school will progressively increase the percentage of students meeting or exceeding the standards in reading and writing as measured by quarterly assessments.
q Each year, every student will make at least one year’s progress in reading and writing as measured by district quarterly assessments and state or district annual assessments.
By meeting or exceeding the state standards students will:
q Become critical readers and producers of literacy
q Become self-confident critical thinkers who are proficient in applying literacy skills across the curriculum
BCS supports consistent, high quality, long-term and in-depth professional learning in best practices that support literacy. The district will allocate resources to ensure equitable access to effective literacy education for all students. All BCS employees are committed to and responsible for implementation of this literacy plan. This plan will be continually reviewed and revised to promote teaching and learning in reading, writing, listening and speaking. This is a living document that is organized to enhance student literacy and teacher and student achievement.
The Literacy Plan contains the following components:
q Literacy Infrastructure
q Curriculum/Instruction
q Assessment
q Professional Development
q Partnerships and Collaborations
q Program Evaluation
These components are the core of improving teacher effectiveness and advancing student learning.
1. LITERACY INFRASTRUCTURE
District Responsibilities:
1.1 Create and support a District Literacy Team to monitor the systemic implementation of the Literacy Plan comprised of central office staff, reading coaches, teachers and administrator representatives.
1.2 Publish and distribute a District Literacy Program annual report of results to all stakeholders.
1.3 Provide professional development to administrators and reading coaches on the systematic implementation of the District Literacy Plan and on best practices for literacy development.
1.4 Support and monitor all school sites to ensure consistency in the attainment of literacy goals and student achievement.
1.5 Provide guidelines for embedding literacy opportunities and quality literacy instruction across the curriculum.
1.6 Provide opportunities for professional development and collaboration in the school day, among K-5 teachers to discuss and refine their practices.
1.7 Ensure the alignment of assessments, benchmarks, and standards.
1.8 Seek additional funding through grants and other sources to support literacy.
1.9 Provide opportunities to display schools’ writing and literacy projects in the district environment and in the community.
School Responsibilities:
1.10 Integrate the District Literacy Plan into the school action plan.
1.11 Establish and maintain cross-curricular school site literacy teams (i.e., Reading
Coach, Curriculum Coach, Special Education Teacher, Lead Teachers, Teachers
and Principal).
1.12 Maintain high quality school/individual classroom libraries that reflect student
diversity and interest.
1.13 Ensure uninterrupted daily time to teach literacy to all students regardless of their
educational placement.
1.14 Provide opportunities for professional development and collaboration among
teachers to discuss and refine their practices.
1.15 Provide opportunities to display students’ writing and literacy projects in the school
and community environment.
Teacher Responsibilities:
1.16 Implement guidelines from Literacy Plan.
1.17 Establish an effective literacy-learning environment.
1.18 Provide opportunities for students to complete and design published products.
2. CURRICULUM/INSTRUCTION
District Responsibilities:
2.1 Establish priorities for standards, curriculum, instruction, intervention and assessment.
2.2 Select and purchase high quality, research-based, culturally relevant instructional and intervention materials.
2.3 Provide continuous and systemic professional development for implementation and use of instructional materials and technology to accomplish district literacy goals.
2.4 Provide professional development for administrators on the evaluation of literacy curriculum and instruction.
2.5 Assess the professional development needs of teachers and administrators as they relate to literacy instruction. Provide professional development in response to needs.
2.6 Provide opportunities and support for meetings among teachers to discuss and refine their practices.
2.7 Provide professional literature on literacy instruction for teachers.
2.8 Select and purchase high-quality adoptions and instructional materials.
2.9 Allocate resources to create, support, and maintain high-quality school libraries and individual classroom libraries.
2.10 Assist principals to provide effective leadership, administration, and evaluation of
literacy instruction.
School Responsibilities:
2.11 Incorporate literacy goals and strategies in school accountability plan.
2.12 Evaluate and give feedback to teachers in alignment with the literacy plan.
2.13 Provide opportunities for grade-levels to meet at least twice a month to analyze
data.
2.14 Provide continuous support for implementation and use of literacy materials and
technology to accomplish district literacy goals.
2.15 Use multiple measures (e.g., classroom assessments, Think Link, Star and DIBELS)
to assess student progress and needs.
2.16 Deliver grade-level appropriate writing instruction to address genres assessed by the
Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing (ADAW).
2.17 Provide effective site leadership, administration, and evaluation of the school’s
literacy instruction. Report results to District.
Teacher Responsibilities:
2.18 Use research-based practices and data analysis to make informed decisions to
instruction, learning and intervention.
2.19 Select materials and methods to accomplish literacy goals.
2.20 Deliver direct, explicit instruction of standards-based literacy processes and
strategies.
2.21 Analyze literacy strategies, assessment data and student work on a regular basis.
2.22 Use technology resources to improve students’ literacy achievement and
proficiency.
3. ASSESSMENT
District Responsibilities:
3.1 Provide guidelines for the implementation of district and state assessment strategies.
3.2 Provide resources for collaboration among district grade-level groups to analyze the effectiveness of various literacy approaches and strategies.
3.3 Research assessment strategies for literacy.
3.4 Develop effective reading benchmarks by grade-level for means of collecting pre and post data.
3.5 Provide professional development in assessment strategies and data analysis.
3.6 Provide benchmark data to teachers in a format that is easily understood.
3.7 Continue (Grades K-5) to implement the District and State reading benchmarks/assessments (e.g., DIBELS, Think Link, Writing and Scott Foresman).
3.8 Analyze (Grades K-5) student writing, utilizing writing benchmarks to determine student progress toward attaining writing standards.
3.9 Analyze (Grades K-5) classroom and district assessments to determine student progress toward attaining reading standards.
3.10 Apply analysis of assessments to inform instruction to improve student learning.
3.11 Implement efficient ways to process, record, and convey student progress across
grades.
3.12 Continue to align assessment reporting with standards-based report cards and
develop other ways of communicating benchmark assessment data to parents.
School Responsibilities:
3.13 Provide time and support to implement multiple measures of literacy assessments.
3.14 Provide time at staff meeting for analysis and discussion of student literacy
achievement.
3.15 Collaborate with District in professional development on literacy assessments.
3.16 Monitor and evaluate the effective implementation of a variety of literacy
assessments to inform instruction and achievement.
3.17 Collect, analyze, use and communicate school assessment data.
3.18 Provide time and resources for grade-level teachers to develop and implement
common formative and summative assessments.
Teacher Responsibilities:
3.19 Collect, analyze and use data on student literacy achievement on an ongoing basis
as part of the instructional planning cycle.
3.20 Actively participate in school and grade-level collaboration on analysis and use of
literacy assessments.
3.21 Teach students how to self-assess their progress in literacy.
3.22 Continue to research assessment strategies for literacy.
3.23 Confer with students regarding literacy assessment data on a regular basis.
3.24 Organize student data for reporting and communicate with parents regarding
student progress.
3.25 Use methods to assess learning based on the purpose of the assessment and mastery
objectives.
4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
District Responsibilities:
4.1 Provide relevant professional development aligned to curriculum, standards, and assessments in literacy instruction.
4.2 Solicit teachers to participate in designing professional development for literacy instruction through District collaboration meetings.
4.3 Coordinate and focus professional development at the district level and across central office departments.
4.4 Communicate professional development offerings to all sites and in a centralized location accessible to all.
4.5 Support and include equitable funding for certified classroom teacher participation in literacy trainings which result in professional development to keep staff current with new research, materials, and best practices.
4.6 Provide sufficient resources for high-quality and consistent professional development.
q Substitutes so that teachers may attend regional, district, and site trainings, collaboration meetings, classroom visits (internal & external) and team meetings.
q District, regional and/or national resource personnel to support school sites.
q Materials including assessment, intervention, enrichment, ESL, and core curriculum materials are provided.
4.7 Learn how to implement the program adoption- Scott Foresman.
4.8. Provide training to support literacy coaches.
4.9 Evaluate the professional development and its effectiveness and impact on student
learning.
4.10 Ensure consistency and equity of professional development implementation system-
wide.
4.11 Provide professional literature to schools on literacy instruction and research.
4.12 Ensure differentiated professional development is provided.
4.13 Monitor literacy professional development activities through feedback forms and interviews.
4.14 Conduct annual evaluation of professional development in literacy; report results.
School Responsibilities:
4.15 Assess the professional development needs of the site.
4.16 Provide consistent opportunities for professional learning communities to collaborate by school, grade-levels and instructional interests.
4.17 Maintain and distribute a centralized calendar to inform teachers of what will be offered for school-wide professional development.
4.18 All school personnel will be included during professional development to best support their job responsibilities and student learning.
4.19 Provide collaborative opportunities to conduct non-evaluative classroom visits/walk-thru(s) that include peers, administrators, coaches, and district specialists.
4.20 Provide staff meeting time to read, share and discuss materials relevant to literacy needs.
4.21 Develop a professional library that supports “best literacy practices” at each site.
4.22 Explore implementing and sustaining the literacy-coaching model at each school.
4.23 Coordinate the effective use of literacy volunteers in classrooms.
Teacher Responsibilities:
4.24 Establish professional development as an essential part of one’s professional practice and evaluation documentation.
4.25 Apply knowledge and implement strategies learned in professional development.
4.26 Research literacy professional development models.
4.27 Continue to update knowledge and skills in literacy by participating in professional development.
4.28 Participate and collaborate with colleagues in both formal and informal capacities.
4.29 Conduct professional development in areas of expertise when site needs are determined.
5. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS
District Responsibilities:
5.1 Increase parent and community awareness of the District’s Literacy focus.
5.2 Utilize various media (e.g., newsletters, PTA/PTO, school site council, school and district web pages, news articles, local TV, etc.) to communicate literacy events and update the district and school websites on a regular basis to include literacy information and events.
5.3 Promote literacy workshops for parents.
5.4 Strengthen home/school literacy connection by providing all 1,500 third graders a
subscription to National Geographic Magazine.
5.5 Continue to support the literacy volunteer program.
5.6 Develop business partnerships with a literacy focus.
5.7 Encourage parents, authors, and community members to share their time, experiences and professions at local schools.
5.8 Coordinate efforts with the public library system and local bookstores.
5.9 Recruit businesses, non-profit organizations and volunteers to provide support for reading.
School Responsibilities:
5.10 Encourage parents and community members to participate in literacy volunteer
training and to volunteer in classrooms.
5.11 Explore and develop literacy training for parents using local and state supported
services.
5.12 Hold book drives.
5.13 Update school web pages on a regular basis to include literacy activities.
5.14 Utilize volunteers as literacy tutors in classrooms.
Teacher Responsibilities:
5.15 Display student work that demonstrates reading and writing activities at local
libraries and businesses.
5.16 Explore and develop strategies to increase community awareness and educational
partnerships to support literacy instruction.
5.17 Communicate each student’s literacy progress to parents periodically.
5.18 Research and recommend models of home-school involvement activities in literacy.
6. PROGRAM EVALUATION
District Responsibilities:
6.1 Select specific annual objectives to: (1) assess effective implementation, (2) assess student achievement, (3) assess efficient management and (4) to formulate adjustments to plans.
6.2 For each objective, determine specific data to collect to use in evaluation.
6.3 Collect and maintain assessment data on the literacy program and student achievement using a District-wide database.
6.4 Communicate monitoring and evaluation plans to schools.
6.5 Establish a timeline for implementation and collection of data.
6.6 Provide a mechanism for teachers to contribute feedback regarding the literacy program (instruction, curriculum and assessment).
6.7 Ensure effective evaluation of the school’s literacy program and prompt reporting of the results.
6.8 Communicate results to Superintendent, School Staff Members and Community.
School Responsibilities:
6.9 Assist the District in monitoring implementation and evaluating the literacy
program.
6.10 Provide time at grade-level and staff meetings for analysis of site-level implementation of literacy.