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School Literacy Plan

Abby Souder and Brooke Harris

Longwood University

READ 680: Developing Literacy Leaders

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Section 1: Literacy Need

Contextual Factors

The name of the school is Evergreen Elementary School and is located in Chesterfield,

Virginia. It is more of a suburban area where the school is located, surrounded by mostly large

neighborhoods and few stores. For the 2020-2021 school year they have a total of 859 students

enrolled. There is a mix of different races and ethnicities within the school; 63.8% White, 12.9%

Black, 9.9% Hispanic, 7.7% Multiple Races, 5.5% Asian, and.2% Native Hawaiian. A small

percentage of the students, 16.3%, are with a disability and an even smaller percentage, 7.6%

qualify as English Language Learners. For the previous school year, there was 71.8% of

participating students who were eligible for free and reduced lunch, but only 41.6% of eligible

students participated in free or reduced breakfast.

Description of Need

Based on the data accumulated regarding the literacy achievements of Evergreen

Elementary School, it can be seen that achievement gaps can be found surrounding Black

students who are performing near state standard and may be improving but still aren’t where they

need to be. Additionally, achievement gaps can be found surrounding students with disabilities

as well who are performing below state standard. In order to address the achievement gaps for

both Blacks and students with disabilities there need to be a focus on diverse literature, lesson

differentiation, and improving students comprehension strategies.

Analysis of Data to Determine the Need

Looking at reading performance by the school from 2016 to 2019, the overall scores had

a steady decline, mainly Black and White student scores. Students with disabilities scored the

lowest out of all subgroups, going from a score of 58 in 2016 to 43 in 2019. Asian and
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economically disadvantaged students were the only subgroups who saw an increase in their

scores. English Language Learners and Hispanic students were the subgroups whose scores

fluctuated between 2016 and 2019. English Language Learners saw the biggest increase from a

score of 55 in 2017 to 80 in 2019. Third and Fourth grade scores for reading fluctuate throughout

the years 2016 and 2019, but by fifth grade there was a decline in scores between those years. In

the 2018-2019 school year, third grade had a score of 76, fourth grade had 81, and by fifth grade

they were at 77.

Section 2: Possible Solutions

Differentiated Lesson Plans

Using differentiated lesson plans is beneficial for all students because all have different

ways of learning and different needs. For example, some students might need to use audio books

or some might need movement incorporated. Because this school has a diverse population of

students, classrooms are going to have a diverse student body. This will also be helpful for

students with disabilities who are integrated into general classrooms either full time or part time.

ELL students would also be another group who would benefit from differentiated lesson plans

because they require more attention and connection to english and their native language.

Diverse Vocabulary Work

This can go hand in hand with having differentiated lesson plans, because all students

learn differently when it comes to vocabulary work. Using the same activities and concepts

stricily in a classroom with vastly different learners who are at different stages of their

vocabulary development, isn’t best practice. Incorporating diverse vocabulary work can help

understand words better and increase their reading ability.

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Comprehension Strategies

Most students lack the strategies or techniques needed to comprehend texts. Having a

plan that incorporated and introduced different comprehension strategies would help students

with all aspects of reading; vocabulary work, fluency, decoding, etc. It is important that children

adopt comprehension strategies that will help them grow in their literacy development.

Ideas for Literacy Plan

We have three possible solutions to take in considerations; creating our own program,

Read 180, and Success For All.

Success For All

Success for All incorporates comprehension strategies, diverse vocabulary work, fluency

work, phonemic awareness, writing components, embedded assessments, differentiated lesson

support, and technology. Since the focus for closing the achievement gap for both Blacks and

students with disabilities needs to be on diverse literature, lesson differentiation, and improving

students comprehension strategies this program would be a good fit for this school. Success for

All will put together a presentation related to how they will help raise the literacy and learning

abilities of our students for our team, while also agreeing to a visit from us to one of their schools

to see a similar implementation and success of their program. The average cost for a school is

$104 per child, per year and costs lower after the first three years of implementation. The

possible pitfalls of Success for All may relate back to the lack of leveled texts, absence of word

work/spelling, and the fact there is no suggested scope and sequence provided for the staff.

Our Own Plan

For Our Own Plan we will seek out diverse literature for teachers to read to their students

as well as for students to read independently. These books will target conversations regarding
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various races, religions, cultures, genders, etc. We will target students' comprehension by first

ensuring that their reading abilities are where they need to be and that content instruction is being

differentiated appropriately if need be. After addressing students reading concerns teachers will

then model various comprehension strategies for students and will assist them in working

through these strategies before assigning strategies that students will do on their own. In order to

implement this plan the main concern that we will need to address is that we will need funding in

order to obtain the wide range of diverse literature that we are wanting to have teachers using

within their classrooms. Furthermore, we will need to workshop some professional development

opportunities to ensure that teachers know what we are asking of them, that they are being

provided with a model as to how we are asking them to do this, and that they have support as

they move forward.

Read 180

This program is geared towards grades fourth through 12th grade, Its main components

are Whole group instruction, small group learning student application, independent reading and

whole group learning. Allows for station rotation in order to cycle through these components.

During whole and small group instruction, it relies heavily on direct instruction. Read 180 seems

to be an online format and provides teachers with a handbook, texts. Workbooks and sample

answers. This is just a few of the other materials provided. Because of its online format, there is

an app that can be downloaded for students to work on things like fluency, language, writing, etc.
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Section 3: Solution

Description of Solution

For the literacy plan that we have chosen to implement, Success for All. This program is

a schoolwide comprehensive program that also breaks down into narrowly focused target areas

for improving student achievement. There are four core elements to this program; cooperative

learning, engaging curriculum and instruction, professional development, and research based.

The targeted intervention programs are phonics instruction for kindergarten through second

grade, social emotional learning and tutoring. Each one encompasses specific elements that are

structured to not only help the student but guide the teacher as well. Everything that comes with

this program is centered around research and even cites sources. This is why those four elements

were chosen because throughout their research which has been ongoing since the 1980s, those

some of the ways they found effective in preventing early school failure.

Justification

Based on our school, we felt this plan would be the most beneficial because it works not

only on the schoolwide level, but in each classroom as well. The reading scores we had found

were from grades 3-5 and this program stretches from pre-K to middle school. We also loved the

differentiated lesson plans and tutoring it offers. Because the school has such a diverse

population, with the scores for the majority of students declining each year, we felt being able to

provide them with extra help would help those scores increase. This tutoring component also

allows home links to let students share their progress with their parents. Another aspect that will

benefit our school is that each of it really focuses on teachers' knowledge and promotes self-

efficacy in teaching literacy. It has professional development for almost all of its components as

well as outside help for students who need extra attention.

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Supplementary Materials

Based on this program’s content, we will discuss with teachers the need for any further

supplementary materials at this time. This discussion will primarily focus on leveled texts, word

work/spelling, and suggested scope and sequence since these are the only noted pitfalls of the

program that we’ve noted thus far. We will continue to assess the program throughout the school

year in order to stay up to date and proactive in case the need for supplementary materials arises.

Process of Implementation

When implementing Success for All, we will begin by reviewing their presentation as to how

they will help raise the literacy and learning abilities of our students for our team while also

visiting one of their schools to see a similar implementation and success of their program.

Furthermore, we will then work together with them to determine the plan necessary for our

school specifically and the professional development needed to introduce teachers to this

program and support them going forward into the school year. In addition to planning initial

professional development and professional development support check-ins throughout the year

we will also determine our program evaluation plan that we will use at professional

developments throughout the year.

Section 4: Professional Development Plan

Description of Plan

When adopted, Success for All offers a point coach that will come to the school to work

face to face with teachers, administrators, and specialty educators. As stated, the point coach can

come to the school for a “school support visit” to allow for questions and clarification on

utilizing this program. These support visits also allow the point coach to do classroom

observations to see if implementation is working. This allows a program introduction for

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everyone and guidance to tailor professional-development plans for the school. Just like it has for

students, there is tutoring for teachers in the form of onsite professional development. This will

help with their implementation of the program in their classrooms.

Training and Supplementary Materials

As stated there is a point coach that will come to the school periodically to ensure that the

school is implementing the program appropriately. The point coach will be available to answer

questions or concerns regarding Success for All during these initial meetings. After the

introduction and questions the point coach will work with the school staff to create a

personalized professional development plan. Then they will also have access to online resources,

such as tutorials, assessments and other materials to look back on. With the point coach they are

able to reach them through email or phone call with any further questions or concerns.

Motivation for Change

Based on literacy achievements data there was found to be a need to focus on diverse

literature, lesson differentiation, and improving students comprehension strategies. We found

that Success for All stretches pre-K to middle, has differentiated lesson plans and tutoring,

allows home links for students to share progress with their parents, focuses on teachers'

knowledge and promotes self-efficacy, and has professional development for almost all of its

components. There are also a few schools within Virginia that have implemented Success For

All in their schools for several years and have shown signs of improvement during those times.

The whole program is built on research and they have included their references and data found

on the website.

Role Before, During, and After Implementation

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Before implementing Success for All, data shows that there needs to be a focus on

diverse literature, lesson differentiation, and improving students comprehension strategies.

During our implementation of Success for All, we will conduct professional development

support check-ins and observations throughout the year with teachers in order to ensure that there

aren’t any questions, concerns, or misunderstandings. After implementation of Success for All

we hope to have closed the educational achievement gaps surrounding both Black and disabled

students.

Section 5: Timeline for Implementation

Timeline

August First nine weeks Second nine Third nine Fourth nine
weeks weeks weeks

Set up first point Collect and Professional Professional Professional

meeting with analyze development development development
coach, program assessment data schedule will schedule will schedule will
introduction, on students continue continue, continue
creation of including; meeting with
professional reading point coach will
development comprehension, be set up again
plan and sight word for update,
curriculum to recognition, questions, or any
meet needs of writing, etc. concerns
school

Teachers will Implementation Students will be Analyze Students will

work in team of Success For assessed at the assessment data receive final
meetings to All will begin end of this nine on students assessments
focus on after initial weeks, checking including;
curriculum using assessments on any growths reading
Success for All comprehension,
once or twice a sight word
week recognition,
writing, etc.

parent - teacher Team meetings Students will Schoolwide team

conferences will will take place continue to meeting with
begin, including focused on receive advancing grade
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overview of student intervention if level to focus on

resources interventions, needed after student
available to checking for any assessments interventions,
students they can growths or checking for any
access modifications growths students
that need to be had or what
made. needs to be
improved on for
the next year.

Students in need
of intervention
will be assessed
and given an
intervention plan
(also presented
during parent
teacher
conference

Assessment Plan

At the beginning of the year teachers will use a computer guided assessment to determine

students' skill level upon which specific lesson activities will be provided for the student to work

on independently that will track progress. Throughout the school year various programs

depending on grade level are housed within Success for All such as Reading Wings which

targets different areas that are needed throughout a school. Reading Wings targets whole group

classrooms second through sixth grade thus allowing them to receive research-based instruction

daily centered around comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, oral language development, written

expressions, and reading. Within these lessons, students will be assessed based on phonics

mastery and shared reading daily with built in assessments that work alongside prior knowledge,

targeted skills, team discussions, and writing activities. Additionally, quarterly assessments will

also be implemented to determine reading placements.

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References

Success for All Foundation,(2015). Success for All. https://www1.successforall.org/who-we-are/