Abstract

Within the Rialto Unified School District Foundational Literacy Initiative, a major pillar of support is to provide students in some first grade classrooms with two full time co-teachers in order to ensure strong foundational literacy skills in their most critical year of learning to read. This additional educator allows for a student-centered, flexible, and differentiation instructional model where each students’ individual literacy needs are being met to the fullest extent.

 

Purpose and Rationale

Behind the varying levels of student intellect and motivation in any given classroom lies the challenge of meeting each student’s individual learning needs. Without differentiation, many students soon have gaps in their foundational literacy skills.  Without differentiation, teachers tend to teach to the largest body of student performers, those students in the middle group.  Students who aren't grasping learning to read tend to get moved along or overlooked without their gaps being addressed. Those gaps lead to struggling students who continue to fall farther behind each year because they don’t have the individualized support needed to be successful.  As those gaps widen each year, it is harder for students and teachers to fill.

 

Research has shown that when grouping is utilized in a flexible and temporary manner, with appropriate curricular adjustment, significant achievement gains can be realized. Teachers can then collaboratively differentiate the level, depth, and breadth of literacy instruction to provide learning opportunities that maximize student strengths and potential.

 

The Solution

In order to ensure a strong Literacy foundation, The Rialto USD Literacy Initiative is designed to provide all first through third grade students with a strong foundation in reading, thereby ensuring that all students are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. A major pillar to accomplish this goal, are collegial support through co-teaching. A classroom of students with a diverse level of ability and motivation requires the use of a differentiated instruction model that can be achieved through two full time educators teaching together in a co-teaching model.  District data shows that Co-teaching first grade classrooms out score their first grade classrooms and close the achievement gap at a higher rate with students obtaining foundational literacy.

 The Need

Rialto USD is looking for passionate and innovative partners that are interested in supporting the co-teaching model in first grade classrooms. We have been fortunate for the past couple of years to have additional one time State funding that we have used to support long term solutions. However, in order to keep these pillar initiatives in place, and build upon our success, we need financial support from corporations or private sponsors. We believe you are the ideal partner for Rialto USD teachers, families and students. We ask that you consider supporting our innovative co-teaching initiative.

Abstract

The Rialto Unified School District Family Literacy program, in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC), endeavors to equip families with a literacy certification, fortifying their capacity to support their children's academic growth. As participants of this one-year program at USC, families pledge to champion reading at home and advocate for community-wide literacy. The Rialto Unified School District's commitment to this initiative not only augments educational standards but also seeds the foundations for sustainable economic development. A community enriched with literacy skills attracts businesses, spurs innovation, and nurtures a cohesive socio-economic fabric. By investing in family literacy, we are not just advancing individual families but also propelling the economic future of the 33rd Congressional District.

 

Purpose and Rationale

It is important to recognize that parents have varying levels of literacy attainment.  In Rialto 9% of parents have earned a college degree. Therefore the remaining population has earned a high school diploma or lower.  Studies show that most high school graduates, graduate with a grade 6 reading level.  It is important to develop strong reading abilities and culture in the community in order to break the cycle of intergenerational illiteracy and increase employment opportunities. 

 

When parents in the Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) were surveyed, 45% of parents identified literacy as a topic of interest to support their child in attaining academic success.  Parents expressed the following needs:

• To be able to assist their children with reading
• To help advance the literacy development of their child
• Ethnically and culturally diverse instruction
• Assistance to help their children in their home language
• Specific literacy programs designed to meet the need of parents to help their children grow academically and socially

 

Educators must consider the dynamics and levels of literacy as it varies by family. First, connect what is expected to be learned to everyday practice.  Second, understand the context for the child’s home literacy environment and parent engagement. Third, transform or enhance the curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners as necessary.

 

The Solution

In order to ensure a strong reading and literacy foundation, RUSD is partnering with USC to develop a family literacy certification to be completed over the course of one school year.

 

The program objectives are as follows:

• Every participating family member will be an active agent in his or her children’s learning experiences
• Every participating family member will be knowledgeable about his or her children’s reading literacy needs and the role parents play in addressing such needs
• Every participating family member will champion a love for reading literacy at home and among other parents and families in the community

 

The Need

RUSD is looking for passionate and innovative partners that are interested in supporting the above family literacy program. We have been fortunate for the past couple of years to have additional one time State funding that we have used to support long term solutions. However, in order to keep this pillar initiative in place, we need financial support from corporations or private sponsors. We believe you are an ideal partner for Rialto families and students. We ask that you consider supporting our innovative literacy initiatives.

Abstract

The Rialto Unified School District Foundational Literacy, Reading Specialist Initiative was established to provide first through third grade students with Certificated Reading and Literacy Specialists support, which ensures strong foundational literacy skills. Thereby ensuring that all students read at grade level by the end of the third grade. In addition to highly qualified classroom teachers, a Reading Specialist has been allocated to meet the needs of struggling readers in every primary classroom. To ensure Reading Specialists are highly trained, a close partnership with The University of Southern California, has provided a pathway for current and future employees to become certified as a Reading and Literacy Specialist.

 

Purpose and Rationale

Studies have concluded that accelerated literacy programs using highly prepared teachers had the most positive impact on student reading achievement. Influencing characteristics included highly trained professionals in reading, flexibility, and knowledge of children's learning to provide high-quality individualized reading instruction. Congruent with research on the most effective reading development, the Foundational Literacy-Reading Specialists Initiative ensures a strong teacher knowledge level in literacy instruction and supports every primary education classroom’s struggling readers.

 

The Solution

In order to ensure a strong Literacy foundation, The Rialto USD Reading Specialist provides all first through third grade students with a strong foundation in reading, thereby ensuring that all students are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. To accomplish this goal, tiered support includes access to highly trained Reading Specialists who assure students’ develop phonemic awareness and phonics skills. Reading Specialists are more aware of the complex nature of literacy development, assume an instructional role, and collaborate with classroom teachers to assure holistic reading support for our most struggling students.

 

The Need

Rialto USD is looking for passionate and innovative partners that are interested in supporting the foundational literacy Reading Specialist initiative. We have been fortunate for the past couple of years to have additional one time State funding that we have used to support long term solutions. However, in order to keep these pillar initiatives in place, we need financial support from partners, corporations and private sponsors. We believe you are the ideal partner for Rialto USD teachers, families and students. We ask that you consider supporting our innovative literacy initiatives.

 

Contact

To find out more about how you can partner with us in support of literacy, please contact 

Abstract

Building literate classrooms across subject matters and preparing students to become fluent, independent readers has become a major emphasis of the Rialto Unified School District.  The University of Southern California (USC) Reading and Literacy Added Authorization program is geared towards educators with the potential to become leaders and mentors in the areas of reading and literacy development. Teachers must be able to help students use complex and varied texts to learn how to access and understand information.  This authorization provides educators with the right tools to improve student achievement in all core subject areas by increasing reading and literacy proficiency. 

 

Purpose and Rationale

California’s literacy crisis predates the pandemic, with less than half of California children reading at grade level back in 2019.  The impact of school closures and remote learning has caused reading scores to further plummet.  Only 42.1% of third-graders can read at grade level in the state of California as documented by the Smarter Balanced test.  This is down from 48% proficiency pre-pandemic. Since reading is a cornerstone skill that builds a foundation for all future learning, any drop in reading skills is detrimental to student achievement. 

 

Reading skills are the building blocks of all future learning.  Poor literacy affects students’ social and emotional well-being.  Students who struggle with reading are four times more likely to drop out of high school.  The path to literacy development begins early in a student’s education. Third grade has been identified as important for reading literacy because if a student is not a proficient reader when they begin fourth grade, as much as half of the curriculum they will be taught will not be understood.

 

Third-grade students in Rialto USD have long been at risk of low academic reading scores as indicated in our District diagnostic data.  The fall third-grade reading scores for the last four years have shown little to no growth with the percentage of students showing proficient or advanced ranging from 32-35%, leaving the majority of students reading below grade level.

 

The problem is not solely related to poverty, lack of resources, and non-English home language.  The problem is how schools teach reading.  Learning to read does not happen naturally, it has to be taught.  Years of scientific research have revealed a great deal about how reading develops. Even though so much is known about reading, there is a wide gap between the science and the teaching in the classroom.

 

The Solution

In order to ensure that students are receiving strong reading instruction, the Reading and Literacy Added Authorization (RLAA) prepares teachers to take the lead in working with students who experience difficulties with reading.  RLAA teachers assist and support other classroom teachers, assess student progress, and monitor student achievement while providing instruction and intervention. 

 

In partnership with the University Of Southern California (USC), 221 teachers in grades TK-12 have completed the RLAA program.  In the primary grades, 182 teachers have completed their RLAA, representing 27% of all elementary teachers in the Rialto Unified School District. We want this number to continue to grow each year.

 

The Need

Rialto USD is looking for passionate and innovative partners who are interested in supporting the above Reading and Literacy Added Authorization program at USC. We have been fortunate for the past couple of years to have additional one-time State funding that we have used to support long-term solutions. However, in order to keep these pillar initiatives in place, we need financial support from corporations or private sponsors. We believe you are an ideal partner for Rialto USD teachers. We ask that you consider supporting our teachers in achieving their Reading and Literacy Added Authorizations from USC.