Literacy Initiative Showcases Statewide Efforts and New Online Resources
DES MOINES, IA - The Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC) leadership team will visit the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 28th to highlight the extensive work being done to combat literacy issues faced by one-out-of-four children in Iowa. Legislators and members of their staff are invited to learn more about the statewide initiative and the newly launched collection of free literacy resources available at www.IowaReadingResearch.org. The breakfast will be held from 7:30-9:30am in the Legislative Dining Room (G15).
In 2012, Iowa lawmakers adopted an early literacy initiative to help ensure children read by the end of the third grade. That included the formation of the Iowa Reading Research Center. The IRRC collaborates across educational systems to support universal screening assessments to identify children who need help in reading, progress monitoring assessments to ensure they stay on track, and evidenced based interventions and strategies to assist with instruction. With the help of national experts, Iowa's Early Warning System has been created. In collaboration with the Department of Education and Iowa AEAs, the IRRC has been training current and future educators on the system. Over 90% of Iowa's elementary schools use the Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST), Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) and the Iowa TIER data system.
Every college and university that has an elementary program has attended statewide trainings - including Iowa's three regent universities. Until now, there has never been this level of cohesive partnership between colleges and universities. The record-setting 100% involvement will go a long way towards fully training Iowa's future educators on the new standards and tools being put into place to improve reading levels amongst our state's pre-kindergarten through elementary students.
IRRC staff will discuss these accomplishments with legislators and outline their collaborative efforts that fall under the following categories:
IOWA'S EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR LITERACY - Promoting Best Practices in Literacy
The IRRC promotes best practices in literacy by collaborating across educational systems to support universal screening, progress monitoring and evidence-based interventions and strategies.
INTENSIVE SUMMER READING PROGRAM - Paving The Way For A Bright Future
The IRRC collaborates with statewide and national experts to develop criteria and guidelines educators will use to assist students in becoming proficient readers.
HIGH QUALITY LITERACY RESOURCES - Supporting Students, Families And Educators
IowaReadingResearch.org offers free online literacy resources available to the public for classroom learning and at-home for children ranging in age from birth to 6th grade.
In February, the IRRC will mail an informational package to elementary schools highlighting the organization's efforts and free online offerings. It will include descriptive collateral for PTAs and take-home book marks for children and their families.
IRRC was formed during the 2012 legislative session through an appropriation to build a virtual repository of literacy resources for Iowa. Parent and teacher resources in Iowa were fragmented, inconsistent and not always screened for relevancy and accuracy. The newly unveiled IRRC website utilizes a team of educators, education-based IT staff and literacy staff to lead the collection effort and screening process for this repository. Learn more at www.IowaReadingResearch.org.
