K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan

K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan 2009-2010 Do not distribute School Board of Broward County, Florida Page 1

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Broward K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan 4/9/09 Review Draft Document Table of Contents District Level Leadership...p.5 School Level Leadership... p.19 Professional Development... p.33 Elementary Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction... p.37 Middle School Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction... p.59 High School Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction... p.87

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BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District Broward K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan 2009/10 District Level Leadership DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe Many of the school buildings within a district look the same, but the needs of teachers and students within those buildings are diverse. District level administrators must look at schools on an individual basis and distribute resources based on students and teachers level of need. To describe the district system for monitoring reading instruction that differentiates school level services, please address the following: 1. What are your measurable district goals for student achievement in reading for the 2009-10 school year as described as a percentage increase from last year s scores? What is the total number of reading coaches (funded through any source) that served the district for the 2007-08 school year? The vision of Broward County Public Schools as reflected in the Strategic Plan 2008-2011 is to raise the student achievement of all students to ensure graduation from high school and readiness for post secondary education. By 2010, the number of students scoring Level 3 or higher will reflect an increase of at least 4% points or more on FCAT reading. The grid below depicts the goals for 2009 for students in Broward County. Proficiency Rates by Subgroup Subgroup 2008 Actual 2009 Target Total 61 68 White 74 78 Black 46 50 Hispanic 62 68 Asian 77 81 AI 67 73 Econ Disadvantaged 49 53 ELL 40 44 SWD 38 42 2. What is the total number of reading coaches (funded through any source) that served the district for the 2008-09 school year? All Broward County schools had at least one reading coach for the 2008-2009 school year. This included 229 elementary, middle, high, and center schools. 9 of the 55 charter schools also had reading coaches, adding to this number. Additional curriculum support coaches were deployed for schools designated on the district s Differentiated Accountability Plan, and Reading First schools were served with Reading First coaches. Core Curriculum - Reading Page 1 4/12/09 Page 5

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe 3. What is the total estimated number of reading coaches (funded through any source) that will be serving the district for the 2009-10 school year? All Broward County schools will continue to be funded for one reading coach for the 2009-2010 school year. This includes 229 current elementary, middle, high, and center schools, and 2 schools scheduled to open in the fall of 2009. 10 of the 55 Charter schools are scheduled to have reading coaches for 2009-2010 school year. Some of the charter schools also had reading coaches, adding to total number of coaches anticipated for 2009-2010. Additional curriculum support coaches will be deployed for schools designated as Correct II and Intervene on the district s Differentiated Accountability Plan, the specific number of which depending on funding. 4. How will the district determine allocation of reading coaches based on the needs of schools? Each school receives funding for one full time reading coach or reading resource specialist. The District will deploy additional curriculum support coaches to schools designated as Correct II and Intervene on the district s Differentiated Accountability Plan depending on funding. 5. How will the district strongly encourage all principals and reading/literacy coaches to attend professional development opportunities including Just Read, Florida! summer professional development? Two Just Read Florida! Literacy Academies will be offered in Broward during the summer of 2009. Schools designated as Correct II and Intervene on the Differentiated Accountability Plan have been given early priority registration for attendance by the state. Announcements about the JRF Reading Academies were made via email to all principals and reading coaches. All schools have been encouraged to register for the academies during the open registration process. In addition to the Just Read Florida Academies, a comprehensive professional development plan is being implemented for the summer for all schools, with a priority for schools within the Differentiated Accountability Plan, targeting school and district administrators, school leadership teams, reading coaches, and teachers. Professional development topics to be addressed include the K-12 Reading Plan; K-12 ESOL Plan; FCAT Item Specifications for elementary reading, mathematics, and science; FCAT Item Specifications for secondary reading, language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science; High School Master Scheduling and Placement, reading program specific training, Reading Endorsement, and CAR-PD training. 6. For a reading coach to be effective, the role of the coach must be clear to school administration, teachers, and the coach. The role of the coach is not to serve as an administrator, test coordinator, or to conduct bus/lunch duty (beyond duty service that is required of classroom teachers). Coaches are not resource teachers and Core Curriculum - Reading Page 2 4/12/09 Page 6

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe should only be working with small groups of students when they are modeling for teachers. How will the district provide leadership and support in defining the role of the reading coach to school administration, teachers, and reading coaches? The district will continue to provide strong leadership to schools, reading resource specialists, and reading coaches. District administrators, including the Executive Director of Core Curriculum K-12, and the district s reading specialists facilitate monthly reading resource specialist and reading coach meetings at the district level, reading professional development workshops, reading endorsement workshops, and individualized support and school visits. All reading coaches are required to assume a key leadership role with their principal on the school s Leadership Team. One of the key goals of the School Leadership Team is to ensure that all school stakeholders understand and support the work of the reading coach and obtain support for achieving the school s reading goals through a whole-school approach. To insure that all schools implement the reading coach model with fidelity, the district will provide in-service on the K-12 Reading plan to school and district administrators during the summer and at the beginning of the school year. The presentation will address the role of leadership in implementing and achieving the goals of the K-12 Reading Plan, the roles and responsibilities of the reading coach, the Progress Monitoring and Reporting Network (PMRN), and look fors in implementing the school s core reading goals with fidelity. 7. What portion of the coaches time will be spent in each of these roles (Please include those roles listed on the online coach s log on the Progress Monitoring and Reporting Network)? Research has shown that professional development in the form of coaching and modeling has the greatest effect on student achievement. Reading coaches should spend the majority of their time working with teachers and students in classrooms modeling and coaching effective instructional and teaching behaviors and facilitating professional development, including professional learning communities and study groups. Approximately 75% of the coaches time should be spend on those activities that directly effect teacher knowledge and behavior that impact student achievement and approximately 25% of the reading coach s time should be spent analyzing and reporting assessment data, increasing their own knowledge base, managing materials, and recordkeeping. Please enter your answers as percentages listed as one or two digit numerical values only. PMRN Recommended Whole Faculty Professional Development 10 10 Small Group Professional Development 17 15 Core Curriculum - Reading Page 3 4/12/09 Page 7

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District Planning 15 10 Modeling Lessons 15 15 Coaching 10 Coach-Teacher Conferences 07 10 Student Assessment 05 05 Data Reporting 03 05 Data Analysis 05 05 Meetings 05 05 Knowledge Building 05 05 Managing Reading Materials 03 04 Other 00 01 DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe 8. What are the requirements/qualifications to become a reading/literacy coach? Reading Coaches must have a minimum of three years of successful teaching experience. Endorsement or certification in reading is required and a Master s degree is preferred. Reading coaches should demonstrate a commitment to lifelong literacy learning, including a resume encompassing attendance at national, state or local professional development literacy workshops, literacy coursework, and other professional development. Reading coaches need a deep knowledge of the reading process, must be familiar with the most current reading research, and have the coaching and mentoring skills for working with adult learners. 9. What is the district s plan to support or maintain a reading coach cadre? The District provides monthly reading coach/reading resource specialists meetings. These meetings include time for district and FL DOE updates, professional development, guest speakers, collaboration with other content areas, and networking. Attendance at meetings is monitored and reading coach/reading resource specialists are required to attend with the approval of their principals. The reading curriculum department communicates regularly to each reading coach/reading resource specialists via email informing them of updates and resources to assist them in coaching activities at their schools. These messages are archived in Reading Conferences in the district s email system. Key documents and resources are posted on the Core Curriculum K-12 website and within the district s curriculum and instructional management portal, BEEP. District reading coach/reading resource specialists also provide individualized support to schools. The district is also developing a new professional development program to identify, support and begin training teacher-leaders who demonstrate the potential to become effective reading coach/reading resource specialists. 10.1. How will the district ensure that all coaches, regardless of their funding source, are using the online reading coach s log on the PMRN? District reading specialists will provide training and information to principals at the end of school year, during the summer, and at the beginning of the new school year on how to Core Curriculum - Reading Page 4 4/12/09 Page 8

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe access the PMRN, how to create a coach s user, and how to view progress monitoring and other data in the PMRN. District reading specialists will provide initial and refresher training to all reading coach/reading resource specialists on the PMRN at the beginning of the school year. All coaches will be required to develop and implement (under the guidance of the principal) a weekly reading coach/reading resource specialists planning calendar of essential coaching activities as defined by the K-12 Reading plan and the school s Reading Plan in the School Improvement Plan. This planning calendar will guide the work of the reading coach/reading resource specialists and facilitate the process for recording data during each two-week recording period in the PMRN. District reading curriculum specialists will periodically monitor the coaches log records in the PMRN to ensure fidelity and implementation of the coaches roles. 10.2. How will the district use the information obtained from this log to impact student learning? Through professional development to principals, the district will emphasize the importance of school leadership (principals and the School Leadership Team) in monitoring the time that reading coach/reading resource specialists spend directly impacting teaching and learning. The principal/school Leadership Team will provide weekly guidance to the reading coach/reading resource specialists in developing, implementing, and evaluating the impact of the reading coach/reading resource specialists activities as outlined on the coach s weekly planning calendar. Reading coach/reading resource specialists should spend the majority of their time working with teachers and students in classrooms, modeling and coaching effective instructional and teaching behaviors, and facilitating professional development, including Professional Learning Communities and study groups. If data shows large gaps or deficits in one or more of these areas, the principal should conference with the reading coach/reading resource specialist and, if necessary, realign the coach s schedule and priorities. When reading coach/reading resource specialists develop and implement their weekly planning calendars of coaching activities under the direction of their principal and/or School Leadership Team, a strong literacy leadership connection is developed between the administration and the classroom through the activities of the reading coach/reading resource specialist, providing a direct impact on student learning. District staff will periodically review coaches logs data in the PMRN to ensure fidelity and implementation of the coaches roles. 11. How will the district monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the coaching model and assure communication between the district, school administration, and the reading coach throughout the year to address areas of concern? District staff will provide support and professional development for reading Core Curriculum - Reading Page 5 4/12/09 Page 9

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe coach/reading resource specialists at monthly coaches meetings, through professional development workshops, and individualized support and school visits. District staff will periodically review coaches logs data in the PMRN. All reading coach/reading resource specialists and maintain data and documentation of their coaching activities as identified in the Just Read Florida Literacy Coach model and the PMRN. Data and documentation must be archived electronically or as hard copies (in a binder) at the school. This data will facilitate district-to-school and school-to-school problem solving conversations about effective coaching and teaching practices and student achievement in reading. Helpful data/documentation includes the reading plan in the School Improvement Plan; the Master Schedule; the reading coach/reading resource specialist s weekly planning calendars; agendas, attendance records, and minutes of Leadership Team meetings; agendas, sign-in sheets, and presentations and/or handouts of school-based professional development including Professional Learning Communities and study groups. If this data is archived electronically, it must be accessible for the appropriate district staff to review. If archived as hard copies, the data must be available for review during district visits. 12. How will the district monitor the level of implementation of the K-12 Comprehensive Research-Based Reading Plan at the school and classroom level? Please include an explanation of the data that will be collected, how it will be collected, and the frequency of review. Support to schools will be differentiated based on needs as determined by the school s SINI designation on the Differentiated Accountability Plan, and student achievement data including FCAT scores, Benchmark Assessment Tests, the Florida Assessments, Progress Monitoring Data, and Ongoing Progress Monitoring data as needed. Monitoring: District provides reading endorsed reading coach/reading resources specialist to spend the majority of their time engaged in activities that directly effect teacher knowledge and practices that impact student achievement, including modeling and coaching effective instructional and teaching behaviors, facilitating professional development. Reading coach/reading resource specialist maintains log off activities biweekly in the PMRN. School develops their school s reading goals for the School Improvement Plan (SIP) through a needs assessment. District approves the school s reading plan in the School Improvement Plan through peer review. Reading coach/reading resource specialist participates in required monthly professional development meetings and reviews and shares with school leadership all district-school communications disseminated and archived through the district s email system, and posted in the district s Curriculum and Information Management portal, BEEP. District provides leadership development on the K-12 Reading Plan, roles and responsibilities of the reading coach, the PMRN, and monitoring effective classroom Core Curriculum - Reading Page 6 4/12/09 Page 10

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe instruction. School implements the district-required/provided Instructional Focus Calendar of benchmarks and strategies, providing pacing guidance for monitoring classroom instruction during Classroom Walk Throughs. Data collected: Ongoing formal and informal assessments are administered to monitor student progress, redesign instruction as needed, and provide remediation, acceleration, and enrichment including: Benchmark Assessment Test data September/December; Mini- Benchmark Assessments, Progress Monitoring data recorded in Virtual Counselor or in the PMRN via the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading, Targeted Diagnostic Assessment data, Ongoing Progress Monitoring data, Classroom Walk Through data by school and district administrators; Coach s log in the PMRN, sign-in sheets for attendance at school professional development programs and district reading coaches meetings. All reading teachers should maintain folders or portfolios of student work in their classrooms for monitoring student progress. Frequency of Data review will depend on the school s designation as SINI as identified for intervention on the district s Differentiated Accountability Plan All schools: Principal, administrators, School Leadership Team, and School Advisory Committee will monitor data collection of the school s literacy performance and targeting areas of improvement. School Administration will communicate results of monitoring activities with Area Offices as required by their Area Directors. District-based leadership teams will monitor data in the PMRN and Virtual Counselor at least three times a year (after each Progress Monitoring period), review other data as needed ensuring the school s implementation of the K-12 Reading Plan with fidelity, and communicate with Area offices as needed. Schools that are not SINI: Three times a year or as needed Prevent I and Correct I Schools: Three times a year or as needed Prevent II Schools: Quarterly or as needed Correct II Schools: Monthly or as needed Intervene Schools: Biweekly or as needed Core Curriculum - Reading Page 7 4/12/09 Page 11

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe 13. According to s. 1011.67 (2), F.S, each district school superintendent shall certify to the Commissioner of Education that the district school board has approved a comprehensive staff development plan that supports fidelity of implementation of instructional materials programs. The report shall include verification that training was provided and that the materials are being implemented as designed. Fidelity of implementation is of utmost importance when using research-based programs. The research evidence that most programs use to support the use of their program is based upon strict adherence to a particular model. Failure to utilize the programs under the same conditions as the original research will limit the success with the program. When implementing both programmatic interventions and research-based strategies, it is extremely important to implement with fidelity. For programmatic interventions, this would include fidelity to both the time and class size recommendations that the publisher used in developing their evidence-base for the program. Given that there is no such thing as a one size fits all program, common sense and teacher judgment through analysis of formal and informal 8 assessment should guide instructional adjustments to the program when it is determined that the desired effect may not be occurring for individual students. How will the district ensure fidelity of implementation of all reading programs and strategies used at the school level and determine appropriate instructional adjustments? The goal of all instruction is to improve student achievement through mastery of the Sunshine State Standards. Reading programs alone cannot accomplish the task of moving students to achieve mastery with grade level text. Schools need to use research-based strategies that are systematic, explicit, scaffolded, differentiated, and print-rich and that are compatible with the instructional goals in the district s Comprehensive Intensive Reading Programs. Instruction must follow Florida s Formula for Reading Success: 6 + 4 + ii + iii 6 Areas of Reading Oral language Phonemic awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension 4 Assessments Screening Progress monitoring Diagnosis Outcome measures Core Curriculum - Reading Page 8 4/12/09 Page 12

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe ii: Initial Instruction Minimum 90-minute reading block An effective reading program has to integrate the six instructional components of effective reading instruction into a comprehensive and cohesive instructional design. Classroom teachers must use assessment data to plan for and provide "studenttailored" instruction that includes the following: o Explicit instructional strategies o Coordinated instructional sequences o Differentiated instruction o Print-rich instruction o Whole group/small group/whole group o All students, using differentiated instruction iii: Immediate Intensive Intervention of the 90-minute reading block Small group or one-on-one Students with reading deficiencies Minimum of 20 minutes/day until deficiency is remedied May be provided by: Classroom teacher SAI teacher ELL teacher Reading resource teacher Scientifically based reading strategies supported by Florida s Formula are identified on district Instructional Focus Calendars for each Core Program and should be identified on the school s Instructional Focus Calendar. The elementary, middle and high sections of the K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan outline a daily design for instruction for each reading block and the recommended plan for before, during, and post-reading instruction. The recommended lesson design provides guidance for incorporating core instruction aligned with benchmarks identified on Instructional Focus Calendars. Each individual school identifies reading goals for the School Improvement Plan based on their data. Each school submits their School Improvement Plan and identifies the comprehensive and supplemental materials to be used for Developmental and Intensive Reading, educational technology, assessments, minutes and days of instruction, and class size caps for reading intervention classes on the appropriate chart within the K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan. These charts are reviewed and approved annually by District staff. The district is in the process of developing a model of implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide further guidance and support for implementing a tiered approach to instructional delivery that includes interventions of increasingly higher Core Curriculum - Reading Page 9 4/12/09 Page 13

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District intensity, based on students needs. DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe The district s Division of Curriculum and Instruction created a Struggling Reading Task Force that has reviewed supplementary materials and interventions to support the key areas of reading as identified by the research of the National Reading Panel and consistent with Florida s Formula for Reading Success. The Struggling Reader Chart provides schools with guidance in the delivery of appropriate intensive interventions. The resources are consistent with the reading research based on careful review by the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR), the What Works Clearinghouse (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/), and review by district experts, and are supported by scientifically based evidence that the programs are highly effective for struggling readers when implemented with fidelity. By following the recommendations of the Struggling Readers Chart, schools select programs that have been shown to have a substantial research base. Although schools have some choice of the materials, materials selected by schools must be on the Struggling Reader Chart and implemented with fidelity. The supplementary intervention programs on the Struggling Reader Chart organize research-based programs by deficiency area, based on the essential components of reading. This Chart is currently under revision and the results of this revision may require changes to this plan. In addition, students at the secondary level should be placed in the highest level of program in which student data suggests the student can succeed using the criteria identified on the appropriate Student Placement Charts. In some cases, the student s formal assessment data, such as FCAT score, may not provide the full picture of a student s strengths and their needs, and the reading coach may need to administer an additional diagnostic assessment or administer a previously administered assessment again to determine the best placement for the student. The school s Reading Leadership Team will review placement criteria to ensure the proper placement of students in programs that will challenge them and best meet their reading intervention needs. Schools are allowed some flexibility, but they may not bend state mandates to meet school scheduling parameters. Fidelity of implementation is enhanced with the appropriate professional development. All reading coaches are required to attend district training on the Core programs utilized at their schools as identified on their school s K-12 Reading Chart so they can support, model, and monitor the appropriate classroom instruction. 14.1. If it is determined that the K-12 Comprehensive Research-Based Reading Plan is not being implemented with fidelity, how will concerns be communicated? Area office or district staff will communicate concerns to the Executive Director, Core Curriculum. An intervention plan will be developed to include school visits, more frequent monitoring, professional development, and the use of district-based resource Core Curriculum - Reading Page 10 4/12/09 Page 14

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District teachers to provide support, if needed. DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe 14.2. Please upload your District Organizational Communication Reporting Chart, including the names of all district level personnel listed on your chart. You will find a sample in the Appendix. Add org chart 15.1. How will the district ensure that all elementary schools have an uninterrupted reading block for core reading instruction and additional time for immediate intensive intervention (iii)? All students will have at least a daily, 90-minute block of uninterrupted reading instruction. A Comprehensive Core Reading Program (CCRP) is used to deliver high quality, explicit, and systematic initial instruction for students in grades K-5. The CCRP used in Broward is scientifically research based, and addresses the six essential components of reading instruction (oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). Immediate Intensive Intervention involves children receiving instruction in reading that is more intensive than what they have been receiving during their regular 90-minute block of reading. Students will be given assistance based on their particular area of need. Immediate Intensive Intervention may be provided in small groups or one-on-one for a minimum of 20 minutes per day until the deficiency is remedied. Immediate Intensive Intervention may be offered before or after school and may be provided by classroom teachers, resource teachers, ESOL teachers, ESE teachers, or trained paraprofessionals. The School Leadership Team, including the reading resource specialists, at each site will collaborate with classroom teachers to analyze data to make instructional decisions that support students area(s) of need. The district is in the process of developing a model of implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide further guidance and support on the problem-solving process that will be utilized. 15.2. How will the district ensure extended intervention time is provided for disfluent students at the middle and high school level? All Level 1 and 2 secondary students are administered a screening at the beginning of the year to determine fluency and are Progress Monitored three times a year using the Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading or the Florida Oral Reading Fluency (FORF) probe and the Diagnostic Assessment of Reading (DAR) Word Lists. Students reading at a rate of less than 120 Correct Words Per Minute (CWPM) on the FORF or who have been identified as disfluent by the criteria on the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading are placed in Intensive Reading instruction courses for an extended block of instruction of at least 90 minutes a per day, 5 days per week. Florida Oral Reading Core Curriculum - Reading Page 11 4/12/09 Page 15

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe Fluency (FORF) data is recorded in Virtual Counselor and data from the Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading is reported directly to the PMRN. Students are placed in the appropriate reading intervention courses as defined on the Middle and High School Placement Charts. A Comprehensive Core Reading Program (CCRP) is used to deliver high quality, explicit, and systematic initial instruction for students in grades 6-12 who need reading intervention. The CCRP used in Broward are scientifically research based, and addresses the six essential components of reading instruction (oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) identified by Florida s Formula. Wilson Reading serves children who need intervention in all 6 areas of reading, while other Comprehensive Core Reading Programs have been adopted for students with reading intervention needs in one or more areas of reading. The School Leadership Team, including the reading resource specialists at each site will collaborate with classroom teachers to analyze data to make instructional decisions that support students area(s) of need. The district is in the process of developing a model of implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide further guidance and support on the problem-solving process that will be utilized. 16. How will the district facilitate improvement in and intensify interventions for schools that are not making academic improvements as determined by fidelity checks and student performance data? Through TERMS and the district s Virtual Counselor system, and the PMRN, district and school-based administrators and teachers have access to student progress monitoring and other student data. Benchmark Assessment data will be monitored after each Benchmark Assessment period to ensure student progress, and Progress Monitoring data will be monitored three times a year, after each Progress Monitoring period. The district is in the process of developing a model of implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide further guidance on the problem-solving process that will be utilized for Ongoing Progress Monitoring, enhanced instructional delivery, and intervention support. All teachers should maintain folders or portfolios of student work in their classrooms, to provide additional data and a fuller picture of student progress for district and schoolbased monitoring. 17. How will the district train principals on Reading Walk Through strategies, including both reading intervention and content area as well as how to give feedback to teachers? All Broward County principals, assistant principals and district personnel have been trained on the district s Classroom Walkthrough model. This model includes using reflective feedback and giving appropriate feedback to teachers. Principals are specifically trained to observe the reading objectives and standards that are addressed, and the use of reading strategies, word walls, and engagement of students with authentic Core Curriculum - Reading Page 12 4/12/09 Page 16

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe text. The Instructional Focus Calendar provides a pacing guide for school and district administrators on the Comprehensive Core Reading Program content and the strategies, and benchmarks that should guide instruction each week. All teachers should maintain folders or portfolios of student work in their classrooms, to provide additional data and a fuller picture of student progress for district and school-based monitoring. The district is reviewing the process and content of the current Classroom Walk Through model to determine if a reading-focused Walk Though tool should be developed or adopted in the future. 18. How will the district and schools recruit and retain highly qualified reading teachers? The district s Human Resources and Staff Development department (HRD), as well as a district level Teacher Retention Committee, work collaboratively on these efforts. Reading K-12 has been declared a critical shortage area for the district. Advertisements of teacher vacancies and shortages have been made via the district Employment Information website, teacher recruitment job fairs, and in cities throughout the United States. Elementary teachers who are eligible to teach intensive reading courses have been recruited for the secondary level. A district staffing specialist contacts applicants who indicate an interest in reading or who have a degree in reading. Teachers at Title I schools who have expressed interest in becoming certified in reading may be eligible to have coursework reimbursed with Title I funds via an agreement with Nova Southeastern University. All new teachers complete the district s induction program, the Educator Support Program. The ESP takes one year to complete and is a school-site program. Each new teacher is provided a support team consisting of the ESP school contact, usually an assistant principal, and a qualified mentor. Ideally, the mentor teaches the same grade or subject as the new teacher, such that other qualified reading teachers support reading teachers. A district personnel staffing specialist provides counseling and support in the areas of teaching challenges and strategies for success. Reading professional development workshops are offered for secondary teachers and elementary reading coaches so they can become reading endorsed. Reading Endorsement coursework for all teachers in the secondary classroom has been well established in the district. Reading teachers, who are required to become highly qualified by becoming reading endorsed, may attend the district s reading endorsement professional workshops or the enroll in the district s Virtual University reading endorsement program. Secondary content area teachers are also encouraged to earn reading endorsement status or the CAR- PD bundle. Core Curriculum - Reading Page 13 4/12/09 Page 17

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:District DRAFTrevised(4/9/09 c)submittedtofldoe 19. How and when will the district provide principals with the information contained in the K-12 Comprehensive Research-Based Reading Plan? The Department of Education approved 2009-2010 K-12 Reading Plan will be posted and available for each school on the Core Curriculum Reading Website, in the Reading Conferences in the district s email communications system, and within the District's Curriculum and Instructional Management Portal (BEEP). The plan will be reviewed with administrators during end of the 2009-2010 school year leadership meetings, during summer principal and assistant principal leadership academies, and at the beginning of the new school year, if needed. A "What's New" Memo and presentation outlining the plan will be sent to all principals and reading coaches for reviewing with the School s Leadership Team and their school faculties at the beginning of the new school year in August. Core Curriculum - Reading Page 14 4/12/09 Page 18

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:SchoolLeadership RevisedDRAFT(4/1/09 b)submittedtofdoe Broward K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan 2009/10 School Level Leadership Section A key factor to an individual school s success is the building leadership. The principal sets the tone as the school s instructional leader, reinforcing the positive and convincing the students, parents and teachers that all children can learn and improve academically. In essence, the school principal has the potential to have a great impact on student learning through his or her support of teachers and coaches. In order for principals to become instructional leaders, it is imperative that they understand the literacy challenges of the populations of students whom they serve. The reading/literacy coach is vital in the process of providing job embedded professional development at the school level. To describe the process for monitoring and improving reading instruction at the school level, including the role of the principal and the reading coach, please address the following: 1. How will principals strongly encourage all reading coaches to attend professional development opportunities including Just Read, Florida! summer professional development? Two Just Read Florida! Literacy Academies will be offered in Broward during the summer of 2009. Schools designated as Correct II and Intervene on the Differentiated Accountability Plan have been given early priority registration for attendance by the state. Announcements about the JRF Reading Academies were made via email to all principals and reading coaches. All schools have been encouraged to register for the academies during the open registration process. In addition to the Just Read Florida Academies, a comprehensive professional development plan is being implemented for the summer for all schools, with a priority for schools within the Differentiated Accountability Plan, targeting school and district administrators, school leadership teams, reading coaches, and teachers. Professional development topics to be addressed include the K-12 Reading Plan; K-12 ESOL Plan; FCAT Item Specifications for elementary reading, mathematics, and science; FCAT Item Specifications for secondary reading, language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science; High School Master Scheduling and Placement, reading program specific training, Reading Endorsement, and CAR-PD training. 2.1. The purpose of the Reading Leadership Team is to create capacity of reading knowledge within the school building and focus on areas of literacy concern across the school. The principal, reading coach, mentor reading teachers, content area teachers, and other principal appointees should serve on this team which should meet at least once a month. What process will the principal use to form and maintain a Reading Leadership Team? The district will continue to provide strong leadership to schools, reading resource Core Curriculum - Reading Page 1 4/12/09 Page 19

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:SchoolLeadership RevisedDRAFT(4/1/09 b)submittedtofdoe specialists, and reading coaches. District administrators, including the Executive Director of Core Curriculum K-12, and the district s reading specialists facilitate monthly reading resource specialist and reading coach meetings at the district level, reading professional development workshops, reading endorsement workshops, and individualized support and school visits. To make the work of school-based leadership more effective, all schools will have one School Leadership Team to guide, facilitate, implement and monitor the collaborative problem solving work of the school. All reading coaches are required to assume a key leadership role with their principal on the School Leadership Team. One of the key goals of the School Leadership Team is to ensure that all school stakeholders understand and support the work of the reading coach and obtain support for achieving the school s reading goals through a whole-school approach. To insure that all schools implement the reading coach model with fidelity, the district will provide in-service on the K-12 Reading plan to school and district administrators during the summer and at the beginning of the school year. The presentation will address the role of leadership in implementing and achieving the goals of the K-12 Reading Plan, the roles and responsibilities of the reading coach, the Progress Monitoring and Reporting Network (PMRN), and look fors in implementing the school s core reading goals with fidelity. Instruction must follow Florida s Formula for Reading Success: 6 + 4 + ii = iii 6 Areas of Reading Oral language Phonemic awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension 4 Assessments Screening Progress monitoring Diagnosis Outcome measures ii: Initial Instruction Minimum 90-minute reading block An effective reading program has to integrate the six instructional components of effective reading instruction into a comprehensive and cohesive instructional design. Classroom teachers must use assessment data to plan for and provide "studenttailored" instruction that includes the following: o Explicit instructional strategies o Coordinated instructional sequences Core Curriculum - Reading Page 2 4/12/09 Page 20

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:SchoolLeadership RevisedDRAFT(4/1/09 b)submittedtofdoe o Differentiated instruction o Print-rich instruction o Whole group/small group/whole group o All students, using differentiated instruction iii: Immediate Intensive Intervention of the 90-minute reading block Small group or one-on-one Students with reading deficiencies Minimum of 20 minutes/day until deficiency is remedied May be provided by: Classroom teacher SAI teacher ELL teacher Reading recovery teacher Reading resource teacher Scientifically based reading strategies supported by Florida s Formula are identified on district Instructional Focus Calendars for each Core Program and should be identified on the school s Instructional Focus Calendar. 2.2. What role will the principal and coach play on the Reading Leadership Team? The principal and reading coach each assume an active, leadership role on the School Leadership Team, as each member of the team brings to the table different areas of expertise. The district is in the process of developing a model of implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide further guidance and support on the problem-solving process that will be utilized on the School Leadership Team with regards to reading. 2.3. How will the principal promote the Reading Leadership Team as an integral part of the school literacy reform process? The district is in the process of developing a model of implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide further guidance and support on the problem-solving process that will be utilized on the School Leadership Team with regards to reading. As the School Leadership Team develops in capacity, the principal, with the support of the reading coach, will actively seek to recruit and develop a literacy cadre of teachers, including the Media Specialist, department chairpersons and/or team leaders, and classroom teacher-leaders who have demonstrated a long-term, professional commitment to focus on increased student achievement by improving classroom instruction through participation in Professional Learning Communities and study groups. Core Curriculum - Reading Page 3 4/12/09 Page 21

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:SchoolLeadership RevisedDRAFT(4/1/09 b)submittedtofdoe These literacy leaders demonstrate commitment to student achievement through learning and teaching strategies when they: Engage in regular, ongoing, personal professional development Participate actively in Professional Learning Communities and Study Groups Use data to analyze the effectiveness of instruction and to redesign instruction and resources to meet the student s instructional and intervention needs Implement the Comprehensive Core Reading Program and scientifically based reading instruction and strategies with fidelity Participate in ongoing literacy dialogue with peers. Create and share activities that promote literacy. Conduct classroom research Participate in classroom demonstrations and modeling of strategies. Mentor other teachers and present staff development. Reflect and refine instruction through peer critique and self-reflection. Understand and promote the idea that effective teaching plus research-based learning strategies are the basis of student achievement. These literacy leaders can assist the reading coach/reading resource specialist in facilitating professional development, mentoring new teachers, and assist in building school-wide capacity. They should also help to develop goals in the School Improvement Plan, and can participate in and facilitate literacy focused Professional Learning Communities and study groups. 3. How will the principal ensure that the reading coach is not used as a reading resource teacher, a substitute, administrator, or in any other capacity that takes them away from being a full time professional development resource for teachers? Through professional development to principals, the district will emphasize the importance of school leadership (the principal and School Leadership Team) in monitoring the time that reading coaches spend directly impacting teaching and learning. The principal and School Leadership Team will provide guidance to the reading coach in developing, implementing, and evaluating the impact of the reading coach s weekly activities as outlined on the coach s planning calendars and recorded on the coach s log in the PMRN. Reading coaches should spend the majority of their time working with teachers and students in classrooms, modeling and coaching effective instructional and teaching behaviors, and facilitating professional development, including Professional Learning Communities and study groups. Reading coaches supported by this initiative are not considered resource teachers and can work with small groups of students only when modeling for teachers. The reading coach/reading resource specialist should not provide pull-out assistance or individual/small group tutorials per state recommendations. Core Curriculum - Reading Page 4 4/12/09 Page 22

BrowardK 12ReadingPlan:SchoolLeadership RevisedDRAFT(4/1/09 b)submittedtofdoe Principals will review reading coach logs to ensure that reading coaches are functioning in the role as defined by the K-12 Reading Plan. If data shows large gaps or deficits in one or more of the reading coach s areas of responsibility, the principal should conference with the Reading Coach and, if necessary, realign the reading coach s schedule and priorities. District staff will periodically review coaches logs data in the PMRN to ensure fidelity and implementation of the coaches roles. 4.1. How will the principal and reading coach collaborate to plan for professional development? The principal and reading coach, along with the School Leadership Team, will determine necessary professional development according to teacher data and student data. Teacher and student needs can be determined by a survey at the beginning of the year, teacher professional development records, student achievement data, student work samples, formal and informal assessments and classroom observations. After careful consideration of the data, a professional development plan should be created. This plan should also consider how to differentiate professional development among staff members depending on their various and different levels of knowledge, experience, and the intensity required. 4.2. How will the principal provide professional development materials to support the reading coach? The district is in the process of developing a model of school implementation for Response to Intervention (RTI) that will provide guidance and support on the problemsolving process that will be utilized for Professional Development. The RTI model identifies the model: 3 Fs + 1 S + Data + PD = Effective and Powerful Instruction where the 3Fs are Frequency, Focus, and Format of instruction; 1 S is size of instructional group; plus data and Professional Development = Effective and Powerful Instruction. The principal and School Leadership Team will examine school/student data to determine needs and necessary resources for professional development. Schools are encouraged to build professional literacy libraries that can be utilized by all teachers in Professional Learning Communities and study groups. Schools should develop a professional development plan providing for regular opportunities for the reading coach or reading resources specialist to model effective and powerful instruction, and share new resources, ideas, strategies and other job-embedded professional development with teachers and staff. The district provides each reading coach/reading resources specialist with professional development monthly throughout the year. In addition, the district facilitates workshops on specific Comprehensive Core Reading Programs as well as workshops on strategies Core Curriculum - Reading Page 5 4/12/09 Page 23