Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Literacy Instruction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Woodland CCSD 50 approves two-year literacy PD (Phase 2) and identifies Lexia as vendor
Summary
The board approved 'Letters Phase 2,' a two-year literacy professional-development program for fourth- and fifth-grade teachers and new hires that combines online modules and four in-person days per year; the district identified Lexia as the vendor and said results will be measured through classroom-practice observation and multi-year outcome tracking.
Woodland Community Consolidated School District 50 voted March 16 to approve 'Letters Phase 2,' a two-year literacy professional-development program that extends district training to fourth- and fifth-grade teachers and any new hires.
Presenters described the program as a blend of asynchronous online modules with classroom video examples, application activities in teachers' own classrooms, and four in-person training days per year. The curriculum focuses on components aligned with the science of reading (phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, morphology) and includes unit tests and proficiency thresholds; staff said teachers who pass unit assessments (proficiency thresholds described by presenters) will receive credit and that the district plans to develop an internal cadre of certified trainers to sustain the model.
When asked to name the vendor, staff identified Lexia. District staff emphasized that student learning outcomes from the approach are expected to materialize over time and that the district is looking at a three- to five-year horizon to see measurable changes in student literacy outcomes as classroom instruction shifts. "To make adaptive second-order change in a district this size, you're looking at 3 to 5 years to really move the needle," the presenter said.
Board members asked about metrics and implementation supports; staff described ongoing learning visits (280 visits conducted so far this year), lab classrooms for practice and observation, teacher surveys used to adjust pacing and supports, and a plan to provide substitutes and funding to cover in-person days. The board approved the Phase 2 professional development by roll call (motion carries 6).
