2016-2017
English Language Arts (ELA) Strategies
“Leading and Learning through Literacy”
Dr. Marion Smith, Jr. | Director
Dr. LaWonda Smith | Program Manager
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Current Student Achievement Data:
Early Learning
Students meeting
Kindergarten Readiness
WaKIDS/Teaching Strategies
Gold (TSD)
2014-2015
2015-2016
Washington State
K – 12: Students proficient in
3rd grade reading
SBAC
2014-2015
2015-2016
52%
54%
PSESD
42%
42%
58%
61%
Road Map
40%
42%
46%
52%
Objectives (to meet Long Term Goals):

Develop a regional support system with coherent and aligned professional
learning opportunities and supports which are data-informed, focused on building
adult capacity, and centered on equitable access to impact instructional practices
and improved student literacy learning and outcomes

Provide consistent, context-responsive professional learning opportunities to
elevate teachers’ pedagogical skills
Interim Measure:

Percent of regional leaders and teachers who have the resources and tools needed
to implement on-going, job-embedded professional learning systems that attend to
the literacy and mathematics, instructional and system needs of their learning
communities with particular attention paid to racial equity.
This will be evidenced by data collection and progress monitoring of identified strategies.
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Framework:
Based on Washington’s Comprehensive Literacy Plan approach SAILS – a systems
approach where literacy achievement for all students is expected. The approach connects
the efforts of all stakeholders to improve literacy outcomes.
Standards – Clear expectations for what children will know and be able to do. Literacy
materials, instruction and assessments are aligned to standards.
Assessment – Comprehensive identification of literacy needs through screening, progress
monitoring, diagnostic assessment and outcome assessment.
Instruction and Intervention – Research-based approach to instruction that meets
individual student needs.
Leadership – Leaders at the state, district, building and classroom levels collaborate to
build shared ownership and direction toward literacy success.
System-wide Commitment – Shared vision and a belief that literacy achievement is a key
achievable mission of an education system. Commitment is required at every level to
reach the goal of literacy for all.
Problem(s) of Practice:
1. Early literacy systems are fragmented and the five components of literacy
(phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text
comprehension), which form the building blocks for accessing and
comprehending expository and informational texts, are not explicitly
taught.
2. Standards exist; however, alignment of the instructional core in literacy is
inconsistent.
3. Models to support school districts that are implementing response to
intervention initiatives, English Language Arts instructional, and
comprehensive data-based systems to address the literacy opportunity gap
are not demonstrating equitable outcomes.
Theory of Action:
If PSESD provides responsive support and resources to improve alignment, partnerships
and pathways with district, school and teacher leaders around core, strategic and intensive
literacy needs, instructional practices, and system needs, while embedding adult learning
principles into the design of all professional learning opportunities, combined with the
use of a variety of student, educator, and systems data to plan, assess, and evaluate
professional learning outcomes
Then regional leaders and teachers will have the resources and tools needed to
implement on-going, job-embedded professional learning systems that attend to the
literacy, instructional and system needs of their learning communities
Which results in increased adult and student literacy learning across the region.
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Core Work #1: Early Literacy (Includes Birth to K) + PreK-3 Campus

Strengthen PSESD and districts’ ability to align early literacy curricula and
practices.
Core Work #2: Strengthening the Instructional Core

Build educator capacity to strengthen the *instructional core, by focusing on
the integration of CCSS + **3 major shifts in ELA instruction, so that all
students access and have support to achieve ELA Standards
* The Instructional Core is defined as the primary instructional approach/program in
which at least 80% of students reach/exceed standards. It is what students receive as Tier
I learning opportunities.
** Shift 1: Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction
Shift 2: Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and
informational
Shift 3: Regular practice with complex text and academic language
Core Work #3: Statewide Systems Alignment in Literacy

Engage as thought-partners and collaborators in statewide ELA
improvement efforts through shared learning and planning
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Core Work #4: Communication

Utilize interactive website to provide up-to-date, ongoing information,
resources, professional learning opportunities, and a social media venue to
connect and support literacy leadership
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Targeted Strategies
Data Collection
(used to progress monitor Interim Measure)
Washington State English Language
Arts (ELA) Fellows
Desired Outcomes of Convenings:
30-40 teacher-leaders from across the
region work together throughout the year
to develop leadership skills,
understanding of adult learning theory
and build content knowledge in order to
develop skills to lead professional
learning at their sites to implement
identified school or district literacy
action plans.
Convening 1 (Sept 27): Creation of ELA
Action Plan(s) using the components of the
“Fundamentals of Learning-Making
Meaning”
Convening 2 (Dec 6): Through an action
research process, Fellows move the writing
concept along the learning continuum to
greater readiness using the components of
the “Fundamentals of LearningParticipating and Contributing”
Convening 3 (Feb 28): Enhance Fellows
practice and earning by reviewing student
outcome data related to the specific literacy
action research plans. Building a selfreflective and collaborative learning
community using the components of the
“Fundamentals of Learning-Managing
Learning”
Convening 4 (Apr 25): Share evidence(s)
of impact and successes; plan for Fellows
work in 17-18.
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Number and percentage of school districts
implementing Best Practices; documented
shift in LAP services and the types of best
practices implemented.
Strengthening Student Educational
Outcomes - English Language Arts
Menu of Best Practices and Strategies
(OSPI, 2016)
Starting in the 16-17 school year,
districts utilize “Menu of Best Practices
and Strategies” in terms of ELA
professional learning, instruction, and
assessment practices as they continue to
implement CCSS.
District Literacy Leaders Network
Provide opportunities for cross-district
collaboration and learning about current
evidence-based research and Best
Practices in English Language Arts
instruction and assessment
Participation and representation of various
school district types (small, medium, large)
throughout the region
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Office of Student and School Success
collaboration
Monthly Regional Improvement Network
(RIN) Meeting Survey
Improve educator practice through the
development of courageous leadership
and transformational teaching and
learning within identified schools
resulting in improved student
achievement in Priority and Focus
Schools; work with OSSS school
leadership and instructional coaches to
provide technical assistance and
coaching to identified school leadership
teams as they focus on literacy
Focus on alignment and support around
teaching and learning and leadership practices
in identified Priority and Focus schools
Partner with PSESD Early Learning
Department to continue to strengthen
and align early literacy outreach and
curriculum/practices:
Alignment of Early Learning strategies and
approaches to K-12 practices (TBD)
Use of protocols to discuss coaches
“Problems of Practice” and “Theories of
Action” that promote leadership/instructional
evidenced-based best practices
Monthly review and report of ESD regional
improvement plan in the Indistar actionplanning tool aligned to school and schooldistrict Expected Indicators: 1. Provide
Strong Leadership, 2. Ensure Effective
Instruction, 3. Improve Instructional
Program, and 4. Use Data to Improve
Instruction
- P-3 Campus model at Educare
(Highline Public Schools)
- Pre-K Guided-Language Acquisition
Design (GLAD)
- Creative Curriculum
- Dual Language Learning / Multilingual Services
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Statewide Regional Literacy
Coordinator Cadre
Meeting of all 9 ESD ELA coordinators
throughout the year for shared learning,
planning and fulfillment of statewide
literacy initiatives, as outlined in the
CSA for K-4 literacy


K-4 Literacy: Address teachers’
pedagogical skills through a
focus on early learning and
targeted, differentiated, researchbased instructional support in
both foundational (code-based)
and knowledge or meaning-based
literacy skills
5-12 Literacy Implementation:
Address teachers’ pedagogical
skills through a focus on the
formative assessment practices
within instructional design
aligned to career and college
readiness.
Convening / Work Session Outcomes:
Goal 1: Increase educators’ use of evidence
based literacy practices and implementation
of the WA State ELA Standards as measured
by multiple components:
-AESD ELA Participant Survey after each
professional learning opportunity
- Monthly report of the number of WSLS /
CCSS ELA activities facilitated
Goal 2: Increase educators’ knowledge and
implementation of practices, activities and
programs aligned with student learning needs,
as outlined in the SSEO requirements.
- AESD Admin Survey after each
professional learning opportunity
- Monthly report of SSEO activities
facilitated
- Trimester report of district/school
admin receiving services/supports
Goal 3: Increase the leadership capacity of
Fellows to support district/school staff in their
implementation the WSLS to effectively raise
student achievement as measured by multiple
components:
-
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Pre/Post Leadership Framework
Assessment
Pre/Post Assessments in grades 311 for participating teachers
4 part professional learning series
focused on how to facilitate adult
learning
PSESD Highly Capable Network
Networking throughout the year for
shared learning, planning and fulfillment
of statewide Highly Capable initiatives
and Pre-K to Grade 12 Gifted
Programming Standards, as outlined in
the WAC 392-170-012.
Standard 1: Learning and Development
Standard 2: Assessment
Standard 3: Curriculum Planning and
Instruction
Standard 4:Learning Environments
Standard 5: Programming
Networking Sessions Outcomes:
Goal 1: Principles of Best Practices
 Educators, recognize the learning and
developmental differences of students
with gifts and talents, promote
ongoing self-understanding,
awareness of their needs, and
cognitive and affective growth of
these students in school, home and
community settings to ensure specific
student outcomes.
Goal 2: Racial Equity in Education
 Educator understand and implement
district and state policies designed to
foster equity in gifted programing and
services.
 Educators understand and implement
district and state policies designed to
foster equity in gifted programming
and services.
Goal 3: Instructional Leadership
 Educators apply the theory and
research-based models of curriculum
and instruction related to students with
gifts and talents and respond to their
needs by planning, selecting, adapting,
and creating culturally relevant
curriculum and by using a repertoire
of evidence-based instructional
strategies to ensure specific student
outcomes.
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Bridge to College English
Washington State Board for
Community and Technical Colleges
(SBCTC)
Community of Practice and Networking
Secessions
Goals and Agreements
Collaboratively designed and developed
by higher education faculty, high school
teachers, and curriculum specialists from
multiple colleges and school districts,
Bridge to College courses teach to the
state learning standards and are
grounded in career and college readiness
expectations. The project is funded by a
College Spark Washington grant.

Help high school graduates avoid
remediation and placement tests when
they enter college.

Improve alignment between K-12 and
entry-level college math and English
curricula.

Develop and sustain college/K-12
district partnerships and
This course develops high school
students’ college and career readiness by
building skills in critical reading,
academic writing, speaking and
listening, research and inquiry, and
language use as defined by the Common
Core State Standards.
faculty/teacher collaboration.
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