Why?
The impact of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act (2013) and the subsequent improvement in students’ reading achievement in Grades K–3 has been an integral part of Mississippi’s growth in student achievement on the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP). Seeking to refine its success in K–3 literacy through a focus on literacy leadership and to expand the instructional model to the upper grades, Mississippi has partnered with Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC) to build the capacity to implement and deliver evidence-based instruction and interventions with fidelity for Grades K–12 teachers.
What?
Over the course of the last five years, the Mississippi Comprehensive Literacy project has focused on expanding the capacity of the state agency to support the effective implementation and sustainability of evidence-based literacy practices, assessments, and interventions in districts and schools. Project activities have included the collaborative revision of the state literacy plan, the development of an implementation checklist and informal process to monitor the effectiveness of action steps outlined in the literacy plan, literacy plan FAQs, as well as an evidence-based literacy resource repository organized by key components of the plan. The project targets multiple literacy leadership audiences with the ultimate goals of expanding teacher knowledge and skill in delivering evidence-based literacy instruction, assessment, timely intervention, and closing literacy success gaps on state assessments and the NAEP.
The R7CC team currently supports the Mississippi Department of Education in the collaborative development of professional learning to provide support for instructional leaders in the implementation of the Science of Reading, the application of structured literacy concepts, the effective use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), and guidance documents and resources for the implementation of literacy innovations and initiatives.
Impact?
The lasting and sustainable impact of this project includes:
- Support for the transition of the Comprehensive State Literacy Plan into a living document, with a review process in place to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of action steps;
- Guidance for districts and schools providing access to embedded resources within the state literacy plan;
- Professional learning modules aligned with agency initiatives and customized for literacy leadership; and
- Guidance for the selection of qualified professional development providers.