Welcome to the EduVerse with ProfessorJBA. This series is aimed at parents and caregivers in an effort to inform them about the various roles and aspects of the educational landscape to ensure that caregivers can make informed decisions.
Okay so as we are closing out the year and kids will be home a few weeks for the holiday break and new year, it’s the perfect time to talk about literacy.
As we know, public schools are struggling with helping students reach literacy learning standards. Indiana ranks 12th in literacy rates in the nation. However, in Indianapolis, 6 of the 10 top schools for literacy have percentages in the 60s. This doesn’t even get into the racial inequities.
I want to focus in on ways that can help local Indianapolis school districts improve literacy with the help and engagement of parents.
Start with the engagement of parents understanding Lexile and using libraries.
I believe at the start of the school year, parents should be introduced to what Lexile scores are, how they impact their child’s literacy skills development, and most importantly, how to use the library to help their children excel in literacy. Having family engagements multiple times a year centering literacy will provide parents with tips to ensure their children continue to gain literacy skills within and outside of the classroom.
Ensure access and equity in school library programs!
Before we can improve literacy data within Indianapolis, we need to ensure students and parents have access and equity in library programs. I was shocked to hear from librarians on the National Parents Union Literacy Town Hall that there are large number of schools in every state that don’t have a school library. Indianapolis is no exception. So parents, does your school have a library, do you and your children have access to the school library? If not, find out why and demand a library and a librarian for your children’s school.
If your school does have an active library, are the digital programs and resources culturally inclusive to help engage every student? One the librarians and educational equity leaders from the literacy town hall emphasized the importance of the engagement of parents in school library programs as well as the need for library to have diverse texts and create an environment of belonging.
Over the holiday, look into your school literacy and library programming and look for the guiding principles below:
- Literacy is propelling independent thinking, reading, writing, speaking, listening, and new literacies.
- Standards-based and disciplinary literacy instruction accelerates student gains.
- Literacy is a fundamental part of instruction in all disciplines.
- Evidence-based instructional approaches transform an emergent reader into a skilled reader and lifelong learner.
- Administrators and school leaders are change agents with the power to create and support a culture of literacy.
- Teachers as adaptive experts have the most impact on student learning.
- Family and community members are essential partners in promoting a culture of literacy.