Garrett County Schools will be launching a new literacy program in the 2020-2021 school year using the American Reading Company literacy resources and framework in grades K-5. The focus will be on explicit phonics instruction (IMSE OG) and complex text while maintaining a balanced literacy structure in reading and writing. A key component of the program is the Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA), which is a tool that works with every student, at any reading level. The IRLA delivers specific and actionable data that tells the teacher where a student is, why, and the sequence of skills/behaviors she needs to learn next to accelerate her reading growth. During the first nine weeks of school, our district will focus on the IRLA, reading & writing power standards and The 100 Book Challenge. This is the standards-based supplemental reading program that challenges students to read 100 books.
- Classroom Libraries – Circulating, leveled libraries provide hundreds of books for students to read.1.
- Leveling System – The leveling system makes explicit what readers need to know and be able to do at each reading level.
- Teacher-Coached In-School Reading – Thirty minutes (minimum) of in-class reading is the central component of the program. Teachers work individually with students while the entire class reads from books they have selected.
- At-Home Reading – Thirty minutes (minimum) of parent-supervised independent reading every night helps students become lifelong readers.
- Data Collection – The School ePACE student data-tracking program allows teachers and administrators to record student progress easily and provides detailed graphs, statistics and trend data for frequent collection and swift intervention.
- Professional Development – In-class, on-site support as well as eight hours of start-up training, and advanced workshops for teachers and principals.