Thread by @WNYEdAlliance

Thanks to @WBEN for highlighting the reading crisis in our region and the need to discuss ways in which reading instruction should be improved in WNY schools. This is an important conversation.
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@SusanWBEN @NiagaraErie @ECASBnews @NYSUTWNY

audacy.com/wben/news/loca…

We agree with school leaders on two points.

First, we agree that the NYSED data is not “an accurate reflection of a student’s growth.”

But that isn’t the point of our report.
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wnyeducationalliance.org/content/docume…

According to NYSED, the ELA assessments “provide students, families, and educators credible measures of students' English Language Arts skills and knowledge."
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@NYSEDNews

nysed.gov/curriculum-ins…

The NYSED data is useful in providing a snapshot of reading proficiency levels in schools. It is THE basis for comparing achievement across districts, which is the point of the WNY Reading Report Card.
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@nyschoolboards @NYSchoolSupts @nysut @Big5Schools @NYRuralSchools @SAANYS

Furthermore, the NYSED data aligns with the data released by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which shows that just 30% of 4th grade students in NYS are reading proficiently.
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@NAEP_NCES

nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/state…

Stakeholders have 2 options:

1) ignore the NYSED & NAEP data, or

2) focus on what can be done to improve reading instruction for ALL children, including economically disadvantaged students, ELLs, & children with dyslexia.
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@EdTrustNY @AsharaBaker @PNWNY @tenati0us_tina

When presented with the same data, most stakeholders, including the @NASBE, @CCSSO, & 30 states have concluded that significant changes to reading instruction must be made to improve literacy rates.
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@kymyona_burk @ExcelinEd @NSBAPublicEd @AASAHQ

753a0706.flowpaper.com/CCSSOReadingRe…

In particular, these organizations now recommend/mandate that schools provide teachers with training in reading science & use evidence-based reading curricula to teach ALL children to read.
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@apmreports @ehanford @wgrzMichael @Garrett_Looker @ipostnews

apmreports.org/story/2022/11/…

With below-average scores in Western New York & NYS more broadly, does it make sense then that the national reading crisis doesn’t also exist in our region?
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#reading #literacy #SoR #ELA #curriculummatters #knowledgematters #education

nytimes.com/2023/02/11/opi…

We also agree with school leaders that teachers are doing a great job, particularly with the limited support that they are being given as it relates to providing reading instruction.
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@NCTQ @SUNY @SUNYChancellor

nctq.org/review/standar…

In fact, our efforts to bring literacy experts to WNY & raise awareness about reading science are being led by teachers in WNY. They are 100% focused on improving outcomes for ALL students.
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@karenvaites @KJWinEducation @weedentracy @DrMariaMurray1 @liv2learn @natwexler

However, teachers are being asked to teach reading without the proper reading curricula, coaching, & professional development.

We need to support our teachers in all 3 areas.
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open.substack.com/pub/nataliewex…

We can’t ignore the data.

We can’t ignore that large groups of children are being left behind.

And, we can’t ignore that the continued use of flawed reading curricula are behind these problems.
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@NiagaraErie

edweek.org/teaching-learn…