Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

The National Center on Intensive Intervention Adds Classworks® Evidence-Based Reading Intervention to Academic Interventions Tools Chart

Classworks®, an award-winning special education and tiered intervention platform, is validated by the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) as an evidence-based reading intervention. The best-in-class program is listed on the  Academic Intervention Tools Chart and joins Classworks Universal Screener and Progress Monitoring in the company’s highly rated, NCII-validated offerings.

“We are excited to see Classworks Reading Intervention added to our portfolio of NCII-validated resources. For 20 years, districts across the country have used Classworks individualized interventions as an essential component of their DBI processes with  tremendous results,” says Melissa Sinunu, Classworks president and chief operating officer. “The recent focus on literacy across the country makes it more important than ever for districts to have access to evidence-based, impactful reading resources. We are proud that Classworks meets NCII’s rigorous technical standards for inclusion.”

NCII is a nationally recognized organization whose mission is to “support the implementation of intensive intervention for students with severe and persistent learning and social, emotional, or behavioral needs using data-based individualization (DBI).” For the Academic Intervention Tool review, NCII’s Technical Review Committee examined study quality and design, psychometric reliability of study measures, and outcome measures, among other qualifications. Classworks Reading Intervention received convincing and partially convincing evidence in the categories of Study Design, Participants, and Broader Measures.…Read More

Purdue begins work to advance science of reading with $1.5M grant

This article on the science of reading originally appeared on Purdue University’s site and is reposted here with permission.

Key points:

Purdue University has begun work to improve the reading abilities of K-12 students in Indiana by strengthening teacher preparation using science-based methods. The work is funded in part by a $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded to Purdue in August as part of Lilly Endowment’s Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana initiative, which launched in 2022.…Read More

3 keys to successful summer reading (regardless of the languages students speak)

Key points:

When I began teaching English as a second language (ESL), I had anywhere from seven to 13 different languages in my classroom because our district was in an area with a lot of recent immigration. It was an entry point for me to begin thinking about what a rich profession teaching is, along with how students develop their early reading skills, especially when they are learning multiple languages at once.

Today, I am the director of Literacy First, a program that the University of Texas launched almost 30 years ago with the mission of teaching students to read in the early grades. Literacy First fulfills its mission by offering a variety of support services, with a particular focus on achieving successful outcomes for growing readers, including one-to-one literacy interventions, teacher and staff training, instructional coaching, data-centered advising, and bilingual and culturally sustaining reading resources and interventions. One of the things I’ve learned a great deal about along the way is how to run an effective summer reading program for emergent bilingual students.…Read More

5 things you need to know about the science of reading

Key points:

While high-quality literacy instruction has remained a cornerstone of education leaders’ priorities, this year, the science of reading has dominated classrooms and discussions around instructional strategies.

In short, according to the National Center on Improving Literacy, the science of reading is “research, over time, from multiple fields of study using methods that confirm and disconfirm theories on how children best learn to read.”…Read More

As states adopt science of reading, one group calls for better teacher training, curriculum

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Wisconsin is creating a new literacy office and hiring reading coaches. Ohio is dedicating millions to a curriculum overhaul. Indiana is requiring new teacher training.

Dozens of states are moving to align their teaching practices with the science of reading, a body of research on how children learn that emphasizes explicit phonics instruction alongside helping students build vocabulary and knowledge about the world. But a national policy group says many states still have significant work to do to ensure strong reading instruction.…Read More

Winners of the Lexia LETRS Science of Reading Grant Contest Announced

BOSTON  –   Lexia, a  Cambium Learning Group brand, has selected the 118 winners of its inaugural Lexia LETRS Science of Reading Grant Contest. Winners comprise K-5 educators in 26 states. Each will receive a grant providing them with no-cost access to the award-winning LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional learning program.

To enter the grant contest, applicants created short videos (60 seconds or less) explaining how LETRS would help transform their teaching. A panel of judges carefully reviewed each applicant’s entry to select the winners.

“These applications submitted by teachers showed their enthusiasm for science-based reading instruction and a deep desire to learn the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind the way we all learn to read, spell, and achieve reading comprehension,” said Lexia President, Nick Gaehde. “We have every confidence that they’ll use what they learn in LETRS to transform their teaching.”…Read More

PowerNotes Launches Composer, an AI-Enriched, Semi-Proctored Writing Tool

(CHICAGO) –  PowerNotes, a provider of tools that help students and professionals create high-quality research quickly and efficiently, has added Composer, an advanced, web-based word processor, to its PowerNotes+ platform. The new tool provides a semi-proctored environment for organizing research and writing in an AI-enabled environment.

PowerNotes+ is a reading, research, and writing platform that helps educators and institutions have control and confidence using artificial intelligence (AI)—and addresses questions of intellectual integrity using transparency and evidence, not suspicion. Composer is a new tool that allows PowerNotes+ users to see the full picture of writers’ research and writing, from AI-assisted text to outside sources to original thoughts, all color-coded for easy identification.

“AI is still a new tool, but it’s already incorporated in a lot of spaces,” said Dr. Catina Mitchum, Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Maryland Global Campus. “And it’s constantly changing. Developing the skills to use these tools ethically is an essential part of digital literacy that will carry forward to help them succeed in school and in life.”…Read More

EPS School Specialty Launches as EPS Learning, a Literacy-Focused Company

NASHUA, N.H./PRNewswire-PRWeb/ —  EPS School Specialty, a leading provider of PreK–12 supplemental ELA and math solutions, announces the launch of EPS Learning, a new, standalone company focused on literacy as the springboard to lifelong learning and opportunity. EPS Learning will enable teachers to support PreK–12 students across all tiers of instruction through the EPS Literacy Framework, which includes print and digital solutions anchored in the science of reading.

“Today marks a shift for our team as a burgeoning company that’s deliberate in its focus on high-quality literacy solutions,” said Steven Guttentag, Chief Executive Officer at EPS Learning. “EPS Learning embodies our dedication to combining the best of print and digital resources—empowering educators to meet the diverse needs of today’s striving readers. Our focused efforts and investments will further accelerate the ability of our solutions to support each student’s unique journey toward literacy and beyond. And, this is just the beginning as we’ll soon announce a significant technology enhancement that will further punctuate our commitment to providing our partners with the most effective literacy solutions.”

Schools and districts across the country have seen a  significant decline in their students’ reading achievement and low reading scores have persisted for over 30 years. Learning disruptions resulting from the pandemic exacerbated these challenges, making it more evident than ever that student reading proficiency is in crisis. With mounting pressure on educators and districts to implement high-quality, high-impact, evidence-based reading programs, EPS Learning provides educators with a robust, comprehensive suite of solutions grounded in research.…Read More

San Jose Students In Ignite Reading’s Tutoring Program Nearly Triple Reading Growth In Two Months

SAN JOSE – Since the launch of Ignite Reading’s partnership with Alpha: José Hernández School in November, the organization announced today that students participating in the virtual, one-to-one literacy tutoring program have recorded an average of nearly three weeks of reading progress per week of tutoring instruction, with no achievement gaps for students of color, students with IEPs, multilingual learners, or students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. Ignite Reading officials joined school leaders and students at Alpha: José Hernández today to showcase the nationally recognized program. The demonstration was followed by a Q&A session and panel discussion.

Ignite Reading is currently serving 100 students in grades 3 through 5 at Alpha: José Hernández School. They are currently accelerating at a growth rate of 2.8 weeks of reading skills per week of instruction.

“Ensuring all students are prepared for success in life is an equity issue. Reading can open doors or close students out of opportunities. Bringing tutoring into our school day through Ignite Reading’s tutoring program is showing early success that we’re planning to build on in the months to come,” said Alpha Public Schools CEO Shara Hegde.…Read More

95 Percent Group Announces Acquisition of Morpheme Magic

Lincolnshire, IL & Boise, ID – 95 Percent Group LLC, the trusted source for comprehensive, proven literacy solutions, today announced the acquisition of Morpheme Magic, a company founded by Deborah R. Glaser, Ed.D., to help learners build morphological awareness. Morphological awareness is the ability to recognize, understand and use the units of meaning that make up words, helping build student reading comprehension skills.

“Morphological awareness plays an important role in helping learners decode, build reading fluency and comprehension skills, and develop a strong vocabulary. Research shows that morphological awareness is a strong contributor to reading proficiency,” said Laura Stewart, Chief Academic Officer, 95 Percent Group. “The resources that Dr. Glaser created for Morpheme Magic provide teachers with the tools they need to enhance student growth in this important area of literacy skill development.”

Morpheme Magic’s two supplemental curriculum offerings are Morpheme Magic: Lessons to Build Morphological Awareness Grades 4-12 and Morphemes for Little Ones: Bringing the Magic of Language into K-3 Classrooms, complementing the morphology lessons included in 95 Percent Group’s flagship 95 Phonics Core Program®. Morpheme Magic: Lessons to Build Morphological Awareness for Grades 4-12 features 53 lessons, including assessments, covering suffixes, prefixes, roots, and Greek combining forms. Morphemes for Little Ones K-3 provides systematic, structured literacy lessons to help teachers teach morphological awareness appropriately to students.…Read More

Scaling-up high-dosage tutoring is crucial to students’ academic success

This article was originally published by the Center for American Progress.

Key points:

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, students have faced unprecedented levels of learning loss because of school closures and interrupted learning. In fact, recent national testing shows a decline in math scores in 43 states1 and reading scores in 30 states,2 while no states saw an improvement in scores for either subject. Nationwide, 64 percent of fourth graders are below proficient in math3 and 66 percent are below proficient in reading.4 The scores remain grim for older students, with 73 percent of eighth graders below proficient in math5 and 69 percent below proficient in reading.6 Public school leaders estimate that 49 percent of students began the 2022-23 school year behind grade level in at least one subject.7 As students across the country continue to struggle academically and as educators work to catch students up, policymakers must ensure that they are properly scaling academic recovery strategies to reach as many students as possible before it is too late.…Read More

Young students less prepared for grade-level reading, math

Key points:

Children who were in early childhood learning programs during the pandemic are struggling to keep up with grade-level learning in math and English, according to School Readiness for Young Students Post-Pandemic, a new report from Curriculum Associates that examines nationwide data quantifying the latent academic impact of disrupted access to early childhood care and education for the nation’s youngest learners.

This report is one of the first to gather and analyze nationally representative data from more than five million Grades K–2 students, thanks to their i-Ready® Diagnostic for Reading and for Mathematics.…Read More