The State Department of Education announced today
the formation of the Idaho Literacy Technical Advisory Committee. The committee, comprised of experts in
literacy from across the state, will develop recommendations on how to continue
to improve Idaho students’ reading proficiency.
"We know that if a student is not reading
proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, the odds are 1 in 8 that the student will
ever read at grade level,” said Superintendent Luna. “Students must learn to
read before they can read to learn, which is why I welcome the recommendations
the Idaho Literacy Technical Advisory Committee will bring forward to help
enhance our efforts."
The 20 member committee includes practitioners in
K-12 schools and classroom, representatives of higher education, and
representatives of organizations working toward literacy goals. The practitioners were selected from
top-performing schools, according to the Idaho Reading Indicator. The committee members are:
·
Barbara
Dixon, Board Chair, Meadows Valley School District
·
Bobbie
Malvini, Kindergarten Teacher, Lakevue Elementary School, Vallivue School
District
·
Camille
Cureton, Principal, Terreton Elementary, West Jefferson School District
·
Carrie
Aguas, Principal, New Plymouth Elementary School, New Plymouth School District
·
Cheryle
Dismuke, Clinical Assistant Professor, Boise State University
·
Debbie
Bauer, Kindergarten Teacher, Henry’s Fork Elementary School, Fremont School
District
·
Dr.
Evelyn Johnson, Executive Director, Lee Pesky Learning Center
·
Glen
Syzmoniak, Superintendent, McCall-Donnelly School District
·
Hollis
Brookover, Vice-President, Idaho Business for Education
·
Jo
Beth Morrison, 1st Grade Teacher, Harold B. Lee Elementary School,
West Side School District
·
Jolene
Taggert, 3rd Grade Teacher, New Plymouth Elementary School, New
Plymouth School District
·
LeAnn
Simmons, Executive Director, Idaho Voices for Children
·
Lisa
Boyd, Principal, Desert Springs Elementary, Vallivue School District
·
Meghan
Graham, Special Education Teacher, Sage International School
·
Natalie
Nation, Idaho Library Association
·
Representative
Julie Van Orden
·
Senator
Steven Thayn
·
Stephanie
Bailey-White, Read to Me Project Coordinator, Idaho Commission for Libraries
·
To
Be Determined, State Board of Education
·
Virginia
Herbst, 2nd Grade Teacher, Donnelly Elementary School,
McCall-Donnelly School District
The work of the committee will be coordinated by Dr.
Marybeth Flachbart, former Deputy Superintendent at the State Department of
Education and current President and CEO of the Neuhaus Education Center.
In 2000, the state began an intense focus on
literacy through the Idaho Reading Initiative, designed to ensure all children
in the State of Idaho master the skills needed to be successful readers. In 2002, 56.92% of Idaho’s 3rd
grade students scored proficient, or at grade level, on the Idaho Reading
Indicator. Today, 73.96% of Idaho’s 3rd
grade students scored proficient on the Idaho Reading Indicator.
The Idaho State Department of Education established
the Idaho Literacy Technical Advisory Committee to continue the work of
improving reading scores after the Task Force for Improving Education
recommended “students demonstrate mastery of literacy before moving on to
significant content learning.” Read the
full Task Force recommendation online.
The first committee meeting will be held June 17, 2014 in
the Room EW40 of the Idaho Statehouse.
The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be open to
the public and streamed live online via Idaho Public Television’s Legislature
Live at http://www.idahoptv.org/leglive/.
The first meeting will include a discussion of roles and
expectations, a presentation on the history of reading initiatives and reading
scores in Idaho, and setting of group priorities.
The Idaho Literacy Technical Advisory Committee will
meet through 2014 and have recommendation prepared for the 2015 Idaho
Legislature.
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