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KLFA Reading Position Paper
The Kansas Learning First
Alliance believes the following:
- Reading is the cornerstone on which all further education is built.
- Research indicates that students who are not readers by the end of
- third grade struggle to be successful in school and in life.
- Studies show that reading is a key to future success in both education
and society in general.
The Kansas Learning First Alliance Goal:
A focus on improving reading skills and the application of those skills
for all Kansas students is vitally important for their future and ours. The
common foundation for student improvement in reading is aligned with the
vision established by the Learning First Alliance as stated in their
national action plan. The KLFA goal is two-fold:
- To narrow the current achievement gaps within our Kansas student
community, while maintaining high standards for all, so that all Kansas
students reach one of the top three Student Performance Levels (Advanced,
Proficient, or Satisfactory) as measured by the Kansas Reading Assessment;
AND
- For all schools to reach the Building Standard of Excellence in
Reading.
The Kansas Learning First Alliance agrees that the following actions
must be taken:
Teachers must continue to improve teaching skills and strategies in the
area of reading. They must be familiar with State and National Reading
Standards. They must be educated in methods to reach all students. Reading
must be a part if every subject in every classroom.
Building Administrators must ensure teachers’ continued professional
development to improve teaching skills. They must provide the leadership to
assure a total building focus on student learning with high expectations for
all students.
District Administrators must provide leadership and support for the focus
on student learning and especially for the improvement of reading
instruction and learning in all district schools. They must provide on-going
professional development in reading instruction for all teachers.
Local Boards of Education must give clear direction to all district staff
about their focus on improved student learning. Local boards must also
allocate adequate resources to support professional development and
appropriate materials to improve reading instruction.
Parents must provide experiences that promote language and literacy
skills for young children, especially during the preschool ages, to equip
them to succeed in school and in reading.
Local Communities, including parent organizations and day care providers,
must support the efforts of the school to increase reading levels of all
students, and they must provide for community-based programs to assist
students who need extra help in the area of reading.
The Kansas State Board of Education is asked to…
- Recommend funding for on going professional development initiatives
that increase the knowledge and skills of all teachers to improve student
reading skills.
- Develop a best practices list to help schools with large numbers of
low performing students.
- Support a statewide initiative to coordinate training parents and day
care providers in teaching literacy skills to young children.
The Kansas Legislature is asked to…
- Provide funding for professional development initiatives that increase
the knowledge and skills of all teachers to improve student reading
skills.
- Provide funding for improvement grants for schools with large numbers
of low performing students.
- Provide funding for a statewide initiative to provide training to
parents and day care providers in teaching literacy skills to young
children.
The Kansas Learning First Alliance is committed to…
- Create a common vision and focus on common goals for Kansas educators
by coordinating efforts among member groups.
- Distribute copies of “Every Child Reading: An Action Plan” to all Pre
K-Grade 3 teachers in Kansas and provide presentations and multimedia
explaining how the action plan can be used to improve student reading
skills.
- Advocate for funding to support on-going professional development for
teachers to improve student learning and reading skills.
- Support national and state efforts to help teachers understand that
improved reading skills will have an effect on all curricula areas.
- Advocate for revising teacher education program standards to include
appropriate reading strategies for all teachers.
- Support the initiatives within the state for the recruitment and
retention of quality K-12 teachers.
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