Champions of Literacy: A Resource Guide for Alaska School Board Members

By Amy Jo Meiners, R16CC Education Specialist, amyjom@nullserrc.org

As School Board members, you have the ability to impact change. The decisions that your Board makes in support of literacy have the undeniable power to transform the future of our students, communities, and state. In respect of your outreach, Region 16 Comprehensive Center and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development are collaborating with the Association of Alaska School Boards to aid local School Board efforts in addressing the requirements of the Alaska Reads Act.

Literacy is foundational to our students’ ability to advocate for their communities, access knowledge, and launch careers here in Alaska or across the nation. “It’s not an either-or conversation — we have to be culturally relevant, or we teach the science of reading research. It’s both.” – Dr. Tracy Weeden, Neuhaus Education Center. As School Boards develop their district strategic plans, student achievement in learning to read will be a common goal across the state. In support of these efforts, Alaska’s Literacy Blueprint and the companion document, Champions of Literacy: A Resource Guide for Alaska School Board Members, are available in print editions and online for free at aklearns.org.

“The Alaska Literacy Blueprint tells our story: a story of who we are, where we have been, and where we are headed,” AK DEED IEE Director Susan McKenzie said. “Our future will demonstrate a collaborative effort that results in improved reading support so that we are able to provide an excellent education for every student every day.”

The Champions of Literacy: A Resource Guide for Alaska School Board Members suggests six components in the process of increasing student achievement through community efforts. Each component includes highlights from research on what works to impact change and questions to consider as School Boards work through the elements. First, start with your community’s WHY as you consider your strategic plan. Next, come together to foster connections between communities, educators, districts, and organizations. Then, create a plan focusing specifically on your district’s literacy needs. Deepen the commitment by strengthening community engagement in literacy. Sketch it out to help reflect on the past and plan for the future. Finally, stay the course, and continue to monitor and adjust.

Curious to learn more about the Science of Reading and what scientists have shared about the reading brain? Explore the multiple resources listed in The Champions of Literacy: A Resource Guide for Alaska School Board Members or more references available in Alaska’s Literacy Blueprint. Email Amy Jo Meiners at amyjom@nullserrc.org for more information.

Is your School Board interested in providing training for community members on teaching reading aligned with the Science of Reading? Recorded training sessions of Alaska’s Reading Playbook, facilitator guides, and slide decks are available on aklearns.org. Alaska’s Reading Playbook is a guide for educators teaching in Alaska’s unique educational landscape. This playbook combines decades of nationwide research with examples and resources developed by educators in our state. You’ll find an introduction to phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as well as  links to valuable resources where you can continue to deepen your knowledge. This tool is designed as an online resource with active links to videos modeling evidence-based teaching strategies. It is available as a free download at aklearns.org.

School leadership is second only to teaching among school-related factors in its impact on student learning. Leadership is key, and a School Board’s ability to support district leaders as Champions of Literacy needs to be a priority. As the AASB Roles and Responsibilities reminds us: “While it is the Superintendent’s role to recommend, oversee efforts, and evaluate curriculum and assessments, it is the role of the School Board to establish criteria, approve, and monitor curriculum and assessments. It is also the School Board’s role to empower the superintendent to be the educational leader of the district. Lastly, it is vitally important to have a district-wide Strategic Plan outlining your goals for all students.”

In closing, I thank you for your service to the communities of Alaska and encourage you to continue engaging as a Champion of Literacy. Get started by:

• Become familiar with the literacy curricula
• Attend curriculum training sessions
• Visit classrooms
• Champion literacy in your community
• Engage families in evidence-based training in reading
• Require reading materials align with the Science of Reading
  • Explicit, systematic scope and sequence
  • The Big 5
  • Instruction linked to assessment
• Provide an implementation of materials supported by professional learning over time
• Ensure every student has the support they need to be successful

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