University of Minnesota - Center for Reading Research
R350 Vo-Tech Ed. Building, 1954 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
Email: MCRR@umn.edu, Tel: 612-624-9147, Fax: 612-624-8716
The Minnesota Center for Reading Research offers a unique opportunity for Minnesota schools to participate in a research based reading improvement program. This intense, job-embedded professional development is based on over ten years of whole school reform and research in reading, developed and refined by Dr. Barbara Taylor.
The purpose of the Minnesota Statewide Reading Academy is to help school leaders and teachers learn how to use scientifically based reading instruction to improve reading achievement. School staff receive ongoing support throughout the school year in order to successfully implement proven reading instruction in their buildings.
The majority of funding for the School Change in Reading Academy is from Minnesota’s Reading First Statewide Academy grant. Schools submit an application to the Minnesota Department of Education in early spring. Applications are reviewed and schools are accepted based on the evidence provided that a school is ready for whole school reform and the proper commitments have been clearly established (see Commitment from Schools below). Please note that the school does not receive any discretionary funds; rather, the school receives one year of embedded professional development in reading based on documented results.
Participation requires a small amount of local or additional federal funds (e.g. Title I, II or V) for staff to meet in professional learning communities and to attend quarterly leadership meetings at the U of M in St. Paul.
At least 80% of the teachers in a school (who teach reading in grades K-3) vote to participate.
A vote to participate means that an individual agrees to participate fully in the School Change in Reading Model (e.g., attend the 1-day August institute, meet 3 times a month in weekly study groups and once a month at a whole-group meeting, participate in video sharing, reflect on and improve reading instruction techniques, collaborate with colleagues to improve program).
The principal strongly supports and participates in the implementation of the School Change in Reading Model.
The principal and teaching staff openly collaborate with the literacy coordinator (a U of M employee who spends an average of two days weekly in the school) to better understand current instructional practices and possible directions for the future.
The principal ensures that the following data are collected and submitted to the University of Minnesota:
School self-study questionnaire
Study group meeting notes and action plans
Literacy coordinator log
Gates MacGinitie pre-reading in grade 1
Gates MacGinitie comprehension in grades 1-3
Gates MacGinitie vocabulary in grades 2-3
Barbara M. Taylor, University of Minnesota
Today we hear a lot about the importance of researched-based practices in shaping school improvement efforts in reading (Learning First Alliance, 2000; National Reading Panel Report, 2000; Put Reading First, 2001). However, it is also important for teachers to collaborate and for schools to develop ownership over their reform efforts (Fullan, 1999; Little, 2002; Newmann, 2002). The School Change Framework (Taylor, B.M., Pearson, P.D., Peterson, D.S., & Rodriguez, M. C., 2003; 2005) was designed to support schools as they (a) improved their reading program based on local needs, (b) worked collaboratively in their delivery of reading instruction and in their professional development activities, and (c) were informed by research-based knowledge of effective practices related to reading instruction, school reform, effective schools, effective teachers, and parent partnerships.
Two years of research on this model in 13 high-poverty elementary schools across the U.S. demonstrated its effectiveness (Taylor, et al, 2005). Through HLM analyses of school-level and classroom-level variables, we found that success in implementing the reform explained a substantial proportion of the between-school variance in reading growth (as measured by comprehension and fluency scores). The teachers in the high reform effort schools used more effective reading instruction practices than teachers in the low reform effort schools and made more research-based changes in their reading instruction. The model has also been used by 23 schools that participated in the Minnesota Reading Excellence Act Program with good success (Taylor & Peterson, 2004) and is currently being used with 53 schools participating in the Minnesota Reading First program .
At the start of the project, teachers learn about effective reading instruction and effective teachers of reading, characteristics of effective schools, and characteristics of effective school improvement. Teachers also learn about the major components of the School Change Framework for reading improvement. It is recommended that there is buy-in for the use of the framework, with at least two-thirds to three-quarters of the teachers within a building voting to use the model.
All teachers of reading in schools that decide to use the School Change Framework engage in hour-long study group meetings 3 times a month. Within study groups, teachers learn about and implement research-based reading practices and reflect on and strengthen their reading instruction. The teachers also meet once a month as a whole group to share study group activities and to discuss issues related to the school-wide delivery of reading instruction. As a school and individually, teachers examine data on students’ reading abilities as well as data on their teaching of reading and data on school leadership, collaboration, and parent partnerships as pertains to their reading program.
It is required that each school have at least a half-time literacy coordinator and a school leadership team made up of the principal, literacy coordinator, and teacher leaders. In addition, the principal must be a strong supporter of the program.
Fullan, M. (1999). Change forces: The sequel. London: Falmer.
Learning First Alliance. (1998). Every child reading: An action plan of the Learning First Alliance. American Educator, 22, No. 1-2, 52-63.
Little, J. (2002). Professional communication and collaboration. In W. Hawley, The Keys to Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington D.C.: NICHD.
Newmann, F. (2002). Achieving high-level outcomes for all students: The meaning of staff-shared understanding and commitment. In W. Hawley, The Keys to Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Put Reading First. (2001). National Institute for Literacy. Jessup, MD: NIFL.
Taylor, B.M., Pearson, P.D., Peterson, D.S., & Rodriguez, M. C. (2003). Reading growth in high-poverty classrooms: The influence of teacher practices that encourage cognitive engagement in literacy learning. The Elementary School Journal. 104, 3-28.
Taylor, B.M., Pearson, P.D., Peterson, D.S., & Rodriguez, M., (2005). The CIERA School Change Project: An Evidence-based Approach to Professional Development and School Reading Improvement. Reading Research Quarterly, 40, No. 1, 2-33.
Taylor, B.M., & Peterson, D.S. (2004) Year 2 Report of the Minnesota REA School Change Project. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota.
