Four local school corporations were the recipients of state science of reading grants.
The Indiana Department of Education awarded nearly $15 million in grants to 72 school corporations across the state. The grants will help Center Grove, Nineveh-Jackson United, Clark Pleasant and Greenwood school corporations implement “evidence-based practices aligned with the science of reading,” according to a press release.
A new state law passed earlier this year requires schools to adopt a curriculum aligned with the science of reading by next school year. Some schools have already started using the science of reading in their classrooms, but the grants will help provide additional support.
The science of reading has five primary focuses of instruction including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, according to the IDOE. The science of reading also uses scientific studies about reading to help instructors with what to teach and how, the press release says.
Center Grove School Corporation has been working to learn and implement the science of reading for nearly six years. The $120,804 grant will help provide funds for additional training, support resources and books for students, said Marcy Szostak, director of elementary teaching and learning.
The training will help teachers with “structured literacy” so that classroom content prepares students for the next grade or building switch, said Nora Hoover, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.
“We know early intervention is best and so when we intervene early and have this consistent approach, we’ve set our students up for the best access to become lifelong readers and to read to learn and to learn to read,” Szostak said.
The science of reading is not new, Szostak said, but there is a “renewed focus” on the practices.
The IDOE awarded $139,070 to Nineveh-Hensley Jackson United, or Indian Creek. Interim Superintendent Mary Roberson said the funds will be used for K-3 teachers’ professional development, including online courses and personalized coaching with an outside consultant.
Teachers at Indian Creek are already incorporating the science of reading into their classrooms as well, Roberson said. The funds will help continue to support that effort.
“Working through structured professional development is a good opportunity to ensure our practices match the latest research in how children learn to read,” she said.
Clark-Pleasant received $300,000 and is using its funds in similar ways.
Most of the money awarded will be used for professional development for primary reading teachers, said Brian Lovell, director of curriculum and instruction. Teachers already have “working knowledge of best reading practices,” Lovell said, but the grant will be used as an “opportunity to deepen that understanding” and provide materials to utilize in classrooms.
“Our goal is to help educators understand that the science of reading is not a program or a series of strategies, but an understanding of how students learn to read and what we can do within our classrooms to help support them through that process,” Lovell said.
Greenwood Community School corporation has provided summer training for teachers and instructional assistants since 2016, said Lisa Harkness, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. The $178,478 grant from IDOE will provide supportive materials and help teachers “hone instructional skills,” Harkness said.
“Greenwood has been implementing the five pillars of reading for many years,” Harness said. “The funding from the grant will help us to hone our instructional skills and provide supportive materials to explicitly and systematically teach each critical pillar,” Harkness said.
