School Literacy Plan

Jessica Mehorter, Hope Shields, and Rachel Antonio

Department of Education and Counseling, Longwood University
READ 680: Developing Literacy Leaders
Dr. Tammy Parlier
April 24, 2023
 2021-2022 School Year

School
County School
District
• Rural area • 4 elementary schools • Preschool – 5th grade
• 30,736 total population • 3 middle schools • 348 student population
• White (60%) • 3 high schools
• Black (34%) • 1 alternative school
• Hispanic or Latino (3%)
• Students with
• Asian (1%)
disabilities (7.5%)
• American Indian/
Alaskan Native (1%) • Families with income
• Two or more races (1%) below poverty level
(29.2%)

(National Center for Education Statistics, n.d.)

Literacy Need
Mecklenburg County Public Schools, Virginia
Elementary School
 PALS Data - October, 2022
Current Percentage of Previous
Grade Level Students Identified Grade Level *
1st Grade 0.05% Kindergarten
2nd Grade 27% 1st Grade
3rd Grade 38% 2nd Grade

* Data reflects the instruction of this grade level since the PALS assessment was given at the beginning of the school year.

● There is an inconsistency of word knowledge skills across the grade levels.

● Observational data:
○ Really Great Reading is currently in place.
○ The program is not being used with fidelity across the grade levels.

Literacy Need
Kindergarten – 3rd grade
 (The Reading League, 2021)

Research
 General Information
• Pre-K - 3rd Grade Whole Group Instruction
• Intervention for 3rd - 5th Grade
• A whole group phonics program that is aligned with the science of reading. It
includes phonological awareness skills, decoding and encoding practice, oral
reading fluency, and concept of print.

Tier 1 Instruction Tier 2 Instruction

• 15-20 minutes daily
• General classroom
• General Education Teacher
• Whole Class
• This program is currently being
used. Therefore, no additional
costs would be incurred.
• Intervention for 3rd -5th Grade
• Can be in the general education
classroom or done with an
intervention teacher,
paraprofessional, or reading
specialist
• Is not included in the whole group
instructional program, so it would
incur an additional cost.

Possible Solution
Really Great Reading (Really Great Reading Company, 2015)
 General Information
• Pre-K-3rd Grade
• Aligned with the Science of reading: phonological awareness skills, print awareness
skills, phonics and decoding, word attack, vocabulary development, fluency, oral
and written comprehension strategies, and writing skills and conventions
• Supplemental curriculum to literature-based language arts program

Tier 1 Instruction Tier 2 Instruction

• 30 minutes daily • Additional 30 minutes
• In general classroom • 3-5 times a week
• General Education Teacher • In or outside of general classroom
• Whole Class • General Education Teacher
• Purchase Fundations Classroom Set Reading Specialist
for 20-25 students that includes the Paraprofessional
Teacher’s Kit (minimum of $1,725 Interventionist
per classroom) and repurchase of • Purchase Multi-Level Kit
consumable materials each year

Possible Solution
Fundations
(Fundations Pre-K to Grade 3: Grounded in the Science of Reading, 2023)
 General Information
• Pre-K-3rd Grade
• A whole group or intervention program that is aligned with the science of reading
and includes: phonemic awareness, visual/auditory/blending drills, new
phonological concept(s), word work, irregular word instruction, and text that is
connected to the phonological concepts

Tier 1 Instruction Tier 2 Instruction

• 30 minutes daily • Additional 30 minutes
• In general classroom • 3-5 times a week
• General Education Teacher • In or outside of general classroom
• Whole Class • General Education Teacher
• Purchase UFLI Foundations Teacher Reading Specialist
Manual ($70 plus $20 for shipping). Paraprofessional
Interventionist

Possible Solution
University of Florida Institute (UFLI) Foundations
(UFLI Foundations, n.d.)
 University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI)

● Explicit and systematic instruction that is aligned with the

science of reading.
● Logical scope and sequence with structured daily 30 minute
whole group lessons
● Lessons include: daily practice with phonemic awareness, word
work, irregular words, review of previously taught skills, and
connected text
UFLI will be initiated clearly and thoroughly with ongoing learning
opportunities for kindergarten-second grade teachers, Title I
reading teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists,
and building administration.
Solution
Description
 Problem Solution
Inconsistency of word knowledge skills across UFLI lessons include: phonemic awareness,
grade levels. visual/auditory/blending drills, new
phonological concept(s), word work, irregular
word instruction, and text that is connected
to the phonological concepts

Most teachers are unmotivated to use Really Implement UFLI with enthusiasm and clarity.
Great Reading due to poor implementation of
the program from the start. Building
administration does not require teachers to
utilize the program.

Really Great Reading is not being used with UFLI provides a structured scope and
fidelity. sequence with structured daily 30 minute
lessons.

Cost of the program UFLI is cost effective

(UFLI Manual $70 plus $20 shipping).

Solution
Justification
 Required Materials UFLI Foundations Teacher Manual, computer with internet access, Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint, Smartboard or projector,
writing materials

Optional Materials UFLI Word Work Board

Included Materials Home Practice, Roll and Read, Lesson Slides (Google and Microsoft), Decodable Passages

Phonemic Awareness Incorporates oral blending and segmenting drills with words that contain either review content or warm-up content for the current lesson.

Visual Drill Contains slides with word features/chunks and letters previously taught for review. The teacher displays the slides and the student makes
the sound or sound for the represented phoneme on the slide.

Auditory Drill Presented with a sound, students identify letters or letter combinations that represent that sound.

Blending Drill Students are presented with a sound, then they repeat the sound and say the related letter(s) or letter combination(s).

New Concept During this portion of the lesson, the teacher uses the manual summary to introduce the new concept that will be learned in that lesson
and connects it to previous learning.

Word Work Students complete word chains and other word work activities outlined by the manual for each lesson.

Irregular Words This section pre-teaches and reviews previously taught high frequency words that are found within the connected text portion of the
lessons.

Connected Text/Dictation Sentences Decodable passages and sentences that can be used for fluency practice, comprehension work, dictated sentences, or time in text
exposure. These passages incorporate reviewing high frequency words and the word feature that was taught within that lesson.

Solution
Methods, Materials, Techniques, and Strategies
 Focus: Instructional fidelity across kindergarten through second grade with
strategic implementation and reinforcement of the UFLI program.

● School climate:
○ Reading specialist, school administration, and grade level representative
promote motivation.
○ The science of reading research, data, and steps to implementation will be
presented clearly.

● Implementation of UFLI:
○ Teachers receive initial and ongoing professional opportunities.
○ Required materials will be distributed prior to the start of the school year.
○ Literacy Block (120 minutes):
- 30 minutes of UFLI Foundations
- 30 minutes of language arts/standards instruction
- 60 minutes of differentiated instruction: tier 2/tier 3 intervention, literacy
centers, independent work

Solution
Process of Implementation
 Focus: Train all kindergarten through second grade reading
teachers, Title 1 reading teachers, special education teachers,
reading specialists, and building administration.

● UFLI Representative from each grade level to be trained prior to

implementation and will serve as grade level leaders and help with
professional development.
● Kindergarten through second grade reading teachers, Title 1 reading
teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists, and building
administration will be required to participate in the professional
development session.
● The initial session will begin with the reading specialist presenting an
overview of the program and demonstrating a lesson.
● Groups will practice teaching a lesson to one another.
● Additional training will be conducted as needed throughout the school
year.

Professional Development
Description
 Focus: Provide UFLI Manual prior to initial training, introduce
supplemental materials, and implement training before the
beginning of the school year

● UFLI manual provided 2 weeks prior to training with book study

instructions
● Lesson demonstration and training conducted the first week back
● UFLI representative teachers will serve as grade level trainers
● Questions/concerns and feedback will be addressed at the end of
the professional development session
● Additional training/coaching will be provided as needed throughout
the school year

Professional Development
Training and Supplementary Materials
 Focus: Motivate teachers to consistently use a new program to
provide continuity within classrooms.

● Really Great Reading was not implemented well and lacked

follow up from administrators.
● Teachers and administration will understand the research, data,
and purpose for using the UFLI program.
● UFLI provides systematic and explicit with a logical scope and
sequence with many resources.
● UFLI grade level representatives will help with teacher
motivation and support.
● Training will occur during contract hours.
● Ongoing support will be provided by the reading specialist.

Professional Development
Motivation for Change
 Before:
● Assist with selection of UFLI representative teachers
● Coordinate professional development plan
● Distribute necessary materials
During:
● Collect and analyze data
● Model and co-teach lessons as needed
● Conduct data meetings and ongoing professional development
● Schedule vertical planning and peer evaluations across grade levels
After:
● Provide annual training for new teachers
● Provide refresher courses for teachers as needed

Professional Development
Reading Specialist Role
 End of 22/23 School 2 weeks Before the 1st Week Back for September- November- EOY
Year 23/24 School Year teachers October
Begins

UFLI Grade Level Deliver materials to Provide professional Begin PALS assessments PALS Mid and End
Representatives will teachers (UFLI), development for to group students Year assessments
receive their materials provide book study teachers on the according to skills.
for summer study and instructions and begin program.
planning. book study.

Professional Implement the program Ongoing peer

development schedule for whole group evaluations,
that includes teacher instruction. instructional walks,
planning time. vertical planning,
professional
development sessions,
modeling and
co-teaching

Implementation Timeline
 Student Assessment
Summative: PALS Triannual Data
Formative: sentence dictations,
comprehension activities with decodable
passages, anecdotal evidence based
encoding and decoding performance.
Implementation Timeline
Assessment Plan
Faculty Assessment
● Lesson plan evidence
● Instructional walk evidence
● PLC data meeting cooperation
● Peer collaboration
● Peer evaluations
● Vertical Planning
 Category 4 3 2 1 Score
UFLI lessons and UFLI lessons and
materials are included in materials are UFLI lessons and materials UFLI lessons and materials
written lesson plans. UFLI lessons and materials are
consistently included are often included in lesson included in lesson plans are
rarely noted in lesson plans.
in lesson plans across plans across grade levels. inconsistent.
grade levels.
UFLI Lessons are
implemented in as
observed by principal / UFLI Lessons are UFLI Lessons are often UFLI Lessons are UFLI Lessons are rarely
reading specialist during consistently observed. observed. inconsistently observed. observed.
instructional walks

Peer evaluations are

completed quarterly to Peer evaluations are
Peer evaluations are Peer evaluations are
improve program conducted quarterly
conducted quarterly but conducted bi-annually and Peer evaluations are not
implementation and teacher reflections
teacher reflection is minimal teacher reflections are conducted.
consistency. are comprehensive
or not reflected. comprehensive and evident.
and evident.

Vertical collaboration is
completed quarterly to Vertical collaboration
Vertical collaboration is Vertical collaboration is
improve consistency with is completed quarterly
completed quarterly and completed bi-annually with
school- wide and consistency with Vertical collaboration is not
some consistency with minimal consistency with
implementation. consecutive grade completed.
consecutive grade levels is consecutive grade levels
levels is evident and
noted. noted.
highly effective.

Student achievement in
the area of word Sufficient student Minimum student progress is
knowledge is evident progress is evident in Moderate student progress evident in PALS and/or
through PALS data and both PALS and is evident in PALS data and formative assessments or Progress is not evident.
formative assessment. formative formative assessments. progress is only evident in one
assessments. type of assessment.

Implementation Timeline
Program Evaluation Rubric
 Strategy #1: The reading specialist will lead monthly PLC
meetings with each grade level. The information
presented will guide discussions based on the needs seen
through lesson plans, instructional walks, peer evaluations,
vertical collaboration, and student achievement.

St Strategy #2: The reading specialist and team of

administration will conduct monthly instructional walks.
Evidence of UFLI lesson instruction will be noted and
praised.

Implementation Timeline
Sustainability
References
Fundations pre-k to grade 3: Grounded in the science of reading. (2023). Wilson Language

Training. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from

https://www.wilsonlanguage.com/programs/fundations/

National Center for Education Statistics (n.d.) Search for public school districts.

https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=2&details=1&ID2=510

2460&DistrictID=5102460

Really Great Reading Company. (2015). Really Great Reading. Really Great Reading | Specialists

in Reading Education. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from

https://www.reallygreatreading.com/

The Reading League. (2021). Science of reading: Defining guide.

https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/

UFLI Foundations. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/wp-

content/uploads/2022/06/UFLI-Foundations-Overview-5pg.pdf
Thank you!