Summary of Recommendations from “Every Child a Reader”

(By the California Department of Education Task Force, 1995)

 

Recommendation 1
Every school and district must organize and implement a comprehensive and balanced reading program that is research based and combines skills development with literature and language-rich activities.

• The goal of a comprehensive and balanced reading program is that students will be reading beginning materials independently by mid-first grade, reading at grade level by the end of third grade, and making continuous grade-level progress thereafter. Each school and district must develop a plan to reach these objectives.
• The heart of a powerful reading program is the relationship between explicit, systematic skills instruction and literature, language, and comprehension. While skills alone are insufficient to develop good readers, no reader can become proficient without these foundational skills.
• Reading instruction should be flexible and based on individual needs. Some students come to school already reading and will make appropriate progress in classrooms that have a strong emphasis on language arts. Some students experience initial difficulty but can accelerate if provided short-term, individual tutoring. Other students have reading disabilities and will need a long-term, structured program.
• Oral language development is important to early literacy. Teachers should engage children in oral language activities by reading to them and by conducting meaningful discussions. Students should be encouraged to read aloud to others when they are first able to read independently.
• Skills development is critical in beginning reading. These skills should be taught directly, and each child's ability should be assessed. Kindergarten students need to develop phonemic awareness. The formal reading process should begin in first grade, where students are taught skills explicitly and have extensive practice using these skills by reading quality literature. Reading comprehension uses literature and language activities that should include many opportunities to read, write, and use oral language.
• Writing and spelling are absolutely necessary for good reading skills. Students should spend time writing their own ideas, sentences, and stories. Writing reinforces the idea that language has meaning and it allows students to take ownership of a story's language and structure. Spelling development for early readers should take place within the context of reading and writing activities, but other vehicles are also necessary, including teaching groups of words that demonstrate sound and spelling patterns.
• Students with well-developed literacy skills in their first language have an advantage in reaching grade-level proficiency in English. All efforts should be made to provide equal opportunity for reading achievement for the almost one in four California students who are English learners, including, when appropriate, academic instruction in the student's primary language. Children who are English learners need strong support in their native language, including oral enrichment to begin developing phonetic awareness.
• Children who continue to have difficulties with reading up to and including high school should continue to receive assistance in reading. Children cannot be expected to take on subject matter without adequate reading skills. Intensive, systematic reading intervention should be available to all children, regardless of grade level, who are experiencing difficulties with reading.
• A variety of whole-class, small-group, and individualized instruction is necessary to meet the diverse needs of students. Grouping should be flexible and allow for regrouping based on ongoing assessment. Grouping for some skills instruction is useful as long as the grouping remains flexible, with students reassigned as their needs and the tasks change.
• The Sample Reading Curriculum Timeline is provided as a resource for districts and schools to use in developing the components of a comprehensive reading program (see Appendix A). Schools can use this timeline as a sample for planning their own comprehensive language arts program.

Recommendation 2
Schools and districts must provide every teacher with a repertoire of diagnostic tools to monitor and modify instruction continuously, to ensure every child's optimal development, and to identify students who need help in reading.

• In kindergarten, first, and second grades, the focus of assessment should be on individual diagnosis rather than on group standardized achievement tests. These diagnostic tools should be curriculum-based measures that include teacher observations and judgements as well as more formal measures of word recognition and reading comprehension. At this level, testing is concerned less with comparison and more with providing accurate diagnostic information to teachers and parents about each individual child's reading progress.
• The needs for diagnostic information are varied, and teachers should have a broad repertoire of instruments to meet these needs. Every kindergarten student needs to be screened for phonemic awareness with a quick and informal instrument. First graders need to be evaluated through a more systematic process of determining early reading progress. Each subsequent grade will require the use of different instruments that match instructional needs.
• Teachers should work in grade-level teams to assist each other in diagnosing students and in planning instruction for all of them, particularly the lowest readers.

Recommendation 3
Schools must have an effective, rigorous, proven intervention program as part of their comprehensive literacy plan for instruction, with an emphasis on early intervention for children by mid-first grade.

• Each school and district must have an action plan for students who do not meet the specified standards. Early intervention programs, including one-to-one instructional support from a highly trained tutor, reading specialist, or other trained personnel, are essential so that children do not slip through the cracks of reading difficulty into reading failure.
• No intervention strategy can replace the comprehensive and balanced reading program which must be in place in all classrooms. However, as many as one in five children will still continue to have reading difficulties. Intervention should be seen as a safety net for a strong classroom program. Students in need of additional help should be identified no later than mid-first grade, and appropriate support strategies must be available.
• Instructional aides and volunteers and, of course, parents can provide important support to children who are learning to read. However, children experiencing serious reading difficulties should be helped by personnel who are highly trained in well-researched reading instruction programs.
• The intervention must provide both intense and extensive amounts of practice in reading and writing. Children who are low achievers typically spend little time actually reading and writing. Drill and practice activities are especially meaningless to children who do not understand the purposes and the joys of reading and writing. An effective intervention will have at-risk children reading and writing daily.
• Too many students placed in special education have reading problems that could have been prevented. Before students with reading problems are referred for special education, a series of in-class or out-of-class short- term interventions, such as tutoring, should be utilized. Special education resources can then focus on those students who truly have long-term, ongoing special needs.

Recommendation 4
California must promptly establish clear standards in reading at each grade level and develop and implement a state-level assessment system that identifies to what extent students and schools are meeting these standards.

• The Reading Task Force endorses the Education Commission of the States' report, Rising to the Challenge, which recommends that California establish statewide standards for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) students, build a new statewide assessment system around these standards, and develop an accountability process that emphasizes local responsibility for improving student achievement.
• State-level performance standards should be correlated to national standards to the extent deemed feasible. Specific standards matched to national assessments should be established for grades 4, 8, and 10.
• All grade-level performance standards must be consistent with a comprehensive literacy program and include the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. All students, including students placed in special education, must be assessed on the same standards.
• Districts and school boards are encouraged to develop their own local modifications based on their districts' needs and expectations, consistent with California's model standards and national standards.

 

• A set of performance standards in reading and writing for the elementary grades should be established. The goal is that every student should be reading independently and comprehending fully no later than the end of third grade.

Recommendation 5
The state educational agencies and teacher-training institutions must redesign teaching credential programs and require ongoing staff development in reading for all classroom teachers.

• The State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the California State Board of Education should immediately convene a summit with all teacher- training institutions, all professional education organizations, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and parent organizations to identify changes needed in credentialing teachers to teach reading effectively.
• Preservice and in-service programs should reflect a team approach linking schools, districts, county offices, and teacher-training institutions. Joint plans should make clear what the schools expect in teacher candidates and student teachers. Preservice education should connect to ongoing in-service education and continually strengthen teachers' knowledge about reading instruction.
• Colleges and universities should allow teacher candidates to begin coursework toward a teaching credential as part of the baccalaureate degree.
• Credentialing programs devote insufficient time to the teaching of reading. All K-12 teacher credential candidates should take additional coursework in reading instruction, which includes a course in beginning reading and a course with required, supervised practice in reading instruction. Candidates for special education credentials should have specific training in teaching children with reading difficulties. Administrators in training should be prepared in organizing and evaluating the teaching of reading.
• All elementary teacher candidates must demonstrate competence in the teaching of reading. A significant portion of student teaching should be devoted to reading instruction practice supervised by reading experts.
• Mentor teachers and teacher training institutions must coordinate their activities to support first-year teachers in reading and language arts.
• Staff development in reading should be a priority and ongoing at all levels. Planning for in-service programs should be done at both the district and school levels, with the participation of all teachers and administrators. Collaboration with teacher-training institutions is particularly encouraged. Staff development that includes follow-up in classroom application is preferable.
• Telecommunication technology can facilitate teacher networking and provide alternative delivery systems for staff development. Teachers should be encouraged to select and pace their own professional development, using the various electronic technologies.

Recommendation 6
A high-quality preschool experience should be available to all children and must be provided to every low-income child.

• The State Superintendent of Public Instruction should encourage preschool and child care programs to vigorously support and foster beginning reading skills. Phonemic awareness and immersion in print and literacy experiences must be initiated in prekindergarten.
• Every early childhood teacher must be fully informed on beginning reading research and practices and know how to implement an appropriate program.
• Teachers in early childhood programs need to develop strong links with families to help them reinforce early reading skills.
• The California Department of Education should develop a strong collaboration between preschool and K-12 curriculum reform efforts, both at the state and local levels. Planning and coordination are required to ensure effective transitions into kindergarten.

Recommendation 7
Districts must supply a large number of high-quality, appropriate print and electronic instructional materials.

• The State Superintendent of Public Instruction should begin a statewide initiative to make appropriate reading materials available for students in classrooms, school libraries, and public libraries. Similar initiatives should be developed locally.
• Every elementary classroom should have at least 1,500 books so that there is a sufficient supply of age-appropriate books and stories in all grades. Classroom libraries should be used to encourage students to read and write in class and at home.
• Reading materials of varying levels of difficulty must be available so that students are continually reading at the appropriate level. It is important to maintain a balance between simple language patterns and meaningful content in initial reading materials.
• Adequate and appropriate technology should be used to support the reading program, including the classroom instructional program, the training of current and new teachers, and the involvement of parents in their children's education. Technology can be used to support all areas of literacy, especially listening, reading, and writing.
• The state instructional materials evaluation and adoption process must produce and disseminate materials that support a comprehensive reading program. The California State Board of Education must ensure that the state adoption process is aligned with the comprehensive and balanced reading program described in this report.
• Communities must increase their support of local libraries, including expanding the library collections and the hours libraries are open. School libraries should be used to support classroom instruction and be a place where students can find books of interest to them.

Recommendation 8
Every school and district must mobilize all its resources to make reading a priority in the elementary grades.

• Local school district boards and school administrators should systematically review available personnel and resources and establish reading as a high priority. All programs should be evaluated to ensure appropriate emphasis on reading.
• The central focus of primary grade instruction must be reading, and every element of the instructional program in the early grades must be organized to ensure success in reading for every student. Actions could include arranging for small groups for reading instruction, adjusting the daily schedule to increase instructional time in reading, reassigning instructional staff to increase teacher-student contact time, creating flexible grouping to accommodate student learning differences, and providing staffing for early interventions. The use of all school personnel and volunteers should be analyzed to determine how they can best support reading.
• In kindergarten, at least one-third of the day should be devoted to language arts. In early primary grades, students should spend at least one- half of the day in reading and other language arts activities.
• Research has shown that class size of fewer than 20 students in the early primary grades and frequent student-teacher interaction are optimum conditions for effective reading instruction. Every effort should be made to realign staffing patterns to create smaller classes.

Recommendation 9
The entire community must work together to ensure that every child can read.

• An information campaign must be launched to encourage public involvement in solving the reading crisis and promoting success in public schools. This campaign should include families, businesses, the education community, and elected officials.
• Local school boards should hold public meetings to reach agreement on their comprehensive reading program and solicit support to implement this program. The boards, together with community members, teachers, and administrative staff, should review their students' reading achievement and reaffirm the primacy of reading instruction.
• A comprehensive reading program requires schools to work with families to help their children learn to read. A closer connection should be developed between schools and families to support reading efforts at home.
• Business and community groups should be encouraged to support and work with schools. Activities can include educational partnerships and adopt-a-school programs.
• Parents, schools, and communities should work together to ensure that children attend school every day. Schools that are safe, are child centered, and provide other family services will encourage the attendance necessary for successful school achievement.
• Volunteer programs should be established to support reading programs at various levels. Volunteer programs can help develop an important tie to the community and supplement scarce instructional resources. Volunteer leaders must be identified, trained, and supported.
• Californians should be encouraged to use the California Public School Library Protection Fund donation checkoff box on their state income tax forms to target money for school libraries.

Recommendation 10
The California Legislature, the Governor, the California Department of Education, and the California State Board of Education must recognize that reading is the highest priority in California schools and resources must be allocated to provide the necessary support to teach reading in every public school.

• The highest priority of government must be to direct existing resources to achieve reading success. This reform is achievable and needs bipartisan support and a commitment that transcends political expediencies.
• Specific attention needs to be directed to the issues of large class size, insufficient school library resources and classroom instructional materials, and the lack of computers and other supportive technology. These problems can only be solved with both increased funding and reallocation of existing funding.
• Summer school funds should be increased and more clearly focused on reading.
• The California State Board of Education should revise the English-Language Arts Framework. The valuable components of the Framework that emphasize literature, writing, and oral language must be retained. However, the details of skills instruction should be added, and the Framework should be organized around grade levels to focus on age-appropriate reading and comprehension targets.
• The California Education Code should be reviewed for mandates that distract schools from their primary goal of instruction, and these obstacles should be removed. The ability to focus on classroom instruction generally, and reading instruction specifically, should be reinforced by the laws that govern public education.
• It is acknowledged that administrative requirements placed on schools and classrooms have become a burden and detract from the instructional program. Reading instruction can receive full attention if unnecessary requirements from Program Quality Reviews, School Improvement Programs, site councils, and school boards are suspended for one year and evaluated for permanent modification.
• All related state-level documents and initiatives must be closely aligned with the comprehensive early reading and literacy program described in this report.
• The California Legislature, the Governor, the California Department of Education, and the California State Board of Education should collaborate to enact any legislation necessary to implement the Task Force recommendations.