Road to reading success: Educators review materials to support literacy growth

Educators from across the San Juan Unified School District came together for the Reading League Calibration Training as part of the district’s ongoing work to identify high-quality reading instructional materials that support student success.

The educators participating in this training make up the Literacy Action Board Steering Committee, a group of educators who applied to take part in the review process. Their role is to review the state-approved list of teaching materials and identify resources that align with the Science of Reading, an evidence-based approach to reading instruction, and the district’s needs and goals. 

Catherine Collette, a fifth-grade teacher at Cameron Ranch Elementary School, said she wanted to join the committee because of the long-term impact the work will have on students.

“I think it's important that we have a lot of voices in the room—from teachers to administrators to district leaders—who are all invested in the long-term literacy education of our students,” said Collette.

The two-day training, led by The Reading League, provided committee members with a shared understanding of evidence-based literacy practices and prepared them to evaluate instructional materials using The Reading League’s curriculum evaluation tool. Through this process, educators will develop a common framework for reviewing materials and determining which resources best support effective reading instruction.

Leah Lewandowski, principal at Mariemont Elementary School, said the training helped educators develop a shared approach to evaluating teaching materials, ensuring the group is aligned in how they assess each resource.

“The most useful part of this training today was understanding how we're looking for evidence and how we're basing that evidence in evaluating the curriculum. So it's not based on assumptions or presumptions or subjectivity. It's as objective as it can get. It’s evidence-based for our kids,” said Lewandowski.

Following the training, the steering committee will begin reviewing the state-approved materials. The committee’s work will help narrow the selection to the strongest resources for the district’s adoption committee to consider for potential piloting.

The Literacy Action Board Steering Committee’s work represents a collaborative effort to ensure educators have a meaningful voice in selecting teaching materials that will support literacy growth for students across the district.

Collette hopes the work will ultimately provide teachers with the resources they need to deliver effective instruction, while helping students become confident and capable readers.

“I hope this work greatly impacts the experience of all the students in our district. We’re going to enable teachers to be really successful in their work with a curriculum that supports good instruction. Then that all trickles down to our students, who are going to become confident, thoughtful readers and critical thinkers who can approach the world with curiosity and confidence,” said Collette.

Through collaboration, professional learning and a commitment to evidence-based practices, the Literacy Action Board Steering Committee is helping shape the future of reading instruction for students across San Juan Unified School District for years to come.