Early Literacy Committee PARKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT School Board - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Early Literacy Committee PARKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT School Board Presentation: September 15, 2015

Early Literacy Committee Members • 10 Administrators • 2 Reading Specialists • 1 RTII Teacher • 1 Guidance Counselor • 1 Learning Support Teacher • 4 Kindergarten Teachers • 2 1 st Grade Teachers • 2 2 nd /3 rd Grade Teachers

Goals of Committee Work • Increase the reading proficiency of K – 3 rd grade students. – 3 rd grade is the transition point between learning to read and reading to learn. • Implement Full Day Kindergarten for ALL Parkland students.

Early Literacy Committee History • Fall 2014: – Small committee of 8 began meeting to discuss the possibility of Full Day Kindergarten – Visited 2 Kindergarten Centers • Winter 2015: – Expansion of committee – Goal Setting/ Focused Discussions • Spring 2015: – Full Day Kindergarten Visits – Full Day Kindergarten “Must Haves” Developed • Summer 2015: – Analysis of the research regarding reading proficiency by the end of Grade 3 – Planning for next steps http://psdearlyliteracy.wikispaces.com

Allentown School District

Bethlehem School District

Nazareth School District

New Hope Solebury School District

Lessons Learned from Visits • The growth of Full Day Kindergarten students is accelerated, evidenced by the students writing, reading, math and problem solving skills. • Full Day Kindergarten students had time in the day for developmentally appropriate activities that encourage social skills, play and movement. • Classrooms were set up for 21 st Century learning, with furniture, structure and resources that foster collaboration and learning.

The Need for Full Day K Half Day K Full Day K PA Core Standards are Time to explore and go deeper “covered,” but often rushed to to fully meet the K PA Core fit into the short day. Standards and prepare students for 1 st Grade. Little or no time for playful Time to incorporate activities learning and character that promote social and development. emotional growth, fine and gross motor skills and other developmentally appropriate activities for 5 and 6 year olds. Teachers meet with small Time to address areas of need groups, but have little time to with an individual student or diagnose individual needs and small groups of students and differentiate or personalize “fill the gaps” while students instruction. are still in Kindergarten.

STAR Early Literacy Data SCHOOL KI NDERGARTEN KI NDERGARTEN END OF YEAR END OF YEAR GROWTH RATE GROWTH RATE (13-14 SY) (14-15 SY) CETRONIA .86 .85 FOGELSVILLE .87 .88 IRONTON .86 .84 JAINDL .87 .84 KERNSVILLE .86 .84 KRATZER .85 .86 PARKWAY MANOR .84 .85 SCHNECKSVILLE .88 .87

Better Educational Outcomes • Research comparing half day and full day Kindergarten suggests that children benefit more from a developmentally appropriate full- day kindergarten program. • Early education is an essential building block to getting children started on the right track!

Full-Day Kindergarteners: • Are more prepared for school/ better transition to 1 st grade/ equipped with stronger learning skills. • Have higher academic achievement in later grades. • Have better attendance in K and through the primary grades. • Show faster gains on literacy and language measures. • Have enhanced social, emotional and behavior development. • Have reduced retention and remediation rates.

Coming Soon…… • Full Day Kindergarten “Must Haves:” What will a PSD Full Day Kindergarten day look like? • Factors that impact reading proficiency and PSD plans to address these factors moving forward. • Stantec Feasibility Study results. • Short term and long term solutions to space issues in our southern schools.