1. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) Phil Lafontaine Director, English Learner and Curriculum Support Division

2. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Purpose of the SRCL Formula Grant To establish and support a State Literacy Team with expertise in literacy development and education for children from birth to grade twelve that will advise the State Board of Education (SBE) and the California Department of Education on the development of a comprehensive literacy plan 2

3. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Requirements of the California State Team Majority of members comprised of local level representation Must include members with expertise in the following four literacy developmental levels: 1. Birth to school entry 2. Kindergarten through grade five; and 3. Grade six through grade eight 4. Grade nine through twelve 3

4. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Additional Requirements The team must include members with expertise in: Managing and implementing an effective literacy program at the school, district, and State levels Evaluation Planning for and implementing a response-to-intervention (RTI) model Screening and performance measurement in the areas of phonological awareness, word recognition/phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and writing 4

5. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Additional Expertise Requirements Validated interventions and instruction for struggling readers, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities Teacher, coach, and principal professional development Teacher preparation and State licensure/accreditation in literacy development and instruction 5

6. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction The SRCL Team’s Task To develop, based upon foundational documents and existing policy, the State’s Comprehensive Literacy Plan for students birth through grade twelve. State Goal: ALL students, regardless of language of origin, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender have high- quality literacy instruction and the opportunity to achieve the same high standards. 6

7. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction The Foundational Documents California Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve California Reading/Language Arts Framework English-Language Development Standards Dream Big for Our Youngest Children (Senate Bill 1629, Chapter 307, Statutes of 2008) Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations (birth through age 3) Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume I (ages 3 through 6) Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume I 7

8. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Overarching Goals for California Literacy Plan Closely tie the comprehensive literacy plan to the newly adopted Common Core State Standards, ELD Standards, and Early Learning Foundations Develop a guiding template that defines critical areas of need to address at each developmental area Ensure a smooth transition and alignment as students move from one developmental level to the next 8

9. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction SRCL Grant Application The application was submitted May 9, 2011. $178,000,000 in federal funding is available to the states for this competitive grant. California is eligible to receive up to $70 million. Between 3 and 18 grants will be made to the states. 9

10. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Use of Grant Funds 95% of grant funds must be used for subgrants and 5% or less for state leadership activities –At least 15% of the funds must be used to serve children, birth to age five –At least 40% must be used to serve students in kindergarten through grade five (K-5) –At least 40% must be used to serve students in middle and high school with an equitable distribution of funds between middle and high schools. 10

11. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction General Grant Goals Goal is to advance literacy skills— including preliteracy skills, reading, and writing—for students from birth through grade 12. Subgrantees must serve high-need children and youths, limited-English- proficient students, and students with disabilities with effective literacy instruction. 11

12. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Absolute Priorities Priority 1: Improving Learning Outcomes. –an applicant must propose a project that is designed to improve school readiness and success through grade 12 in the area of language and literacy development for disadvantaged students Priority 2: Enabling More Data-Based Decision- Making. –an applicant must propose a project that is designed to collect, analyze, and use high-quality and timely data to improve instructional practices, policies, and student outcomes in early learning settings and in elementary and secondary schools. 12

13. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Competitive Preference Priority: Effective Use of Technology To meet this priority, an applicant must: (1)propose to use technology—which may include technology to support principles of universal design for learning. (2) provide, in its application, an evidence-based rationale that its proposed technology program, practice, or strategy will increase student engagement and achievement or increase teacher effectiveness. 13

14. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Processes to be Included Through Grant Establishment of an instructional system that includes an implementation plan that aligns the Early Learning Foundations and ELD standards, with the CCCS to ensure that each child is college and career ready. Development of local capacity of expert literacy instructional leadership within the school and district by ensuring that all educators and instructional leadership participate in ongoing, high quality professional development. 14

15. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Processes Full implementation of a tiered-structure approach for preschool and an RtI 2 approach for kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) that stresses data-based, decision-making and effective initial instruction. Knowledge and understanding of the types and purposes of assessments and how to analyze and use the data to plan instruction to meet the urgent literacy and language needs of the state’s disadvantaged students. 15

16. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Processes Development of a seamless transition for children and families to adjust to the context of a new school or grade level. Another process that California educators have been engaged in is Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI²). This data- based, decision-making approach, grounded on good first teaching before moving to interventions, is an integration of resources from general education, special education, and categorical programs, and forms a comprehensive approach to instruction. 16

17. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction General Grant Activities Activities should: align with a comprehensive State literacy plan improve student outcomes have the characteristics of an effective literacy program such as –professional development, –screening and assessment, –targeted interventions for students reading below grade level, and –other research-based methods of improving classroom instruction and practice. 17

18. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction The California Grant Subgrant Application Requires applicants to apply as partners. Feeder Pattern to establish smooth transitions and community of learners. Includes schools and early childhood programs with neediest student population socioeconomically and academically. Encourages involvement of other agencies that support disadvantaged children including IHEs and county offices of education. 18

19. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction California’s Goals for Students Birth through age five: student learning outcomes in early literacy skills and oral language development Kindergarten through grade three: the foundational skills to promote language development and literacy for children in Grade four and above: literacy instruction in content area subjects and in critical thinking skills that allows students to become sophisticated consumers and producers of information, able to evaluate conventional text as well as research, including information gathered from the internet. Secondary level: developing independence with content area literacy and critical analysis of text, and becoming prepared for college and career. 19

20. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Timeline for February Timeline for the SRCL State Literacy Plan February 1 Initial draft of the State Literacy Plan submitted to the U.S. Department (ED). February 3 Literacy Team established February 17 First SRCL State Literacy Team Meeting Charge and Role of SRCL State Literacy Team Review of Resource Documents California Common Core Standards Preschool Foundations Review of SRCL Requirements Review of initial draft SRCL plan Working Groups begin research and revision of draft Public comments welcome February 28 – March 1 SRCL Team Meeting Collaborative Writing of plan by team. Public comments welcome 20

21. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Timeline for March-April Timeline for the SRCL State Literacy Plan March 9 SBE Update by Phil Lafontaine and Aida Molina. Release of federal SRCL grant application. March 15-16 SRCL State Literacy Team Meeting Review outcomes from working group meetings. Review and edit draft SRCL plan. Public comments welcome. March 18 Submit revised draft SRCL Plan to SBE, Legislature, and Public for review. March 22-23 SRCL State Literacy Team Meeting Review of comments and finalizing of the plan. Public comments welcome. March 24 SRCL Plan completed. April 1 SRCL Plan submitted to ED. April - May Development of competitive SRCL grant proposal Due date of competitive grant application unknown. 21

22. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Timeline for May and Beyond Draft Projected Timeline for the SRCL State Literacy Plan May 3 SRCL State Literacy Team Meeting Grant application draft reviewed by SRCL team and other state leaders, recommendations given. May 9 The CDE submitted grant application. June/July SRCL State Literacy Team Meeting SRCL Team meeting is planned to review the revised plan based on public comments received. August U.S. Department of Education will announce which states will receive SRCL grant awards. 22

23. TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Contact Information Phil Lafontaine 916-323-6440 plafonta@cde.ca.gov Carrie Roberts 916-319-0587 croberts@cde.ca.gov 23