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toc =Home Page=


 * Docs & Forms || [[image:LiteracyLogoOL_BLU.jpg width="154" height="154"]] || In the Houston Independent School District literacy is defined as the ability to read, write, speak, listen and think effectively.


 * Literacy Leads the Way** recommends that all students spend a **minimum of** **20% - 25% of their time** **in __each__ class** engaged in integrated literacy strategies to support their content-specific learning.

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(Insert actual links in this cell) ||  || Lexiles || Millionaire Club ||  ||   ||
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 * LITERACY LEADS THE WAY**

In the Houston Independent School District, literacy is defined as the ability to read, write, speak, listen and think effectively. We recognize that in the 21st century world that our students will occupy, information multiplies at such a fast rate, they will need literacy skills to acquire, interpret and process new information.

Because of this, the district has launched a new intensive literacy program, “Literacy Leads the Way,” designed specifically to improve the overall literacy skills of Houston students. Components of this program include:


 * **Literacy Commitments:** All teachers will be asked to spend a minimum of 20-25 % of their time in each class engaging their students in literacy strategies that support their content-specific learning.


 * **Sixth Grade Reading:** The district will be implementing a three-tiered intervention for reading at the middle school. Sixth grade teachers will be attending state-sponsored trainings in content literacy during the summer of 2008. At these trainings, reading teachers will be learning how to administer a diagnostic reading assessment to help them identify the specific reading skills their students need as a target of instruction.


 * **Lexiles:** The district will continue to use The Lexile Framework for Reading as a tool to help students grow as readers and to help teachers find targeted readings for their students. Each student in grades 3-11 will continue to have his or her reading ability measured on the Lexile scale. The reports sent home for both the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and the Stanford-10/Aprenda test report a child’s Lexile measure.


 * **Writing:** To ensure a common language and approach to the writing process, the district is adopting the 6 + 1 Trait Writing model for all grades PK-12. Training will be phased in over a three-year period, beginning in the 2008-2009 school year with grades 3/4 and 8/9.


 * **Curriculum:** The district’s curriculum (CLEAR) will support the literacy focus of content teachers by reflecting components of Literacy Leads the Way.


 * **Building Teacher Capacity:** A major focus of Literacy Leads the Way is to support teachers in becoming language-based educators. Trainings will be offered through the Neuhaus Education Center, through the district curriculum department and in partnership with local universities. The position of Literacy Coach will be added to each middle school to provide job-embedded professional development.


 * **The Millionaire Club:** HISD is partnering with the Houston Public Libraries to sponsor a summer reading program with the goal of having 100,000 students read five books each. Research has shown that reading at least five books that interest a child and are at his reading level can offset a condition known as “summer loss” when a child’s reading ability digresses over the summer months.


 * **Libraries:** The quality of district libraries will be improved to meet state and local standards, including enhancements to library facilities and the purchase of books and library services technologies.


 * **Literacy Support Network:** An implementation and monitoring support network comprised of district, regional and campus level literacy specialists to ensure fidelity of Literacy Leads the Way district wide.


 * **Literacy Commitments**


 * **Sixth Grade Reading**


 * **Lexiles**


 * **Writing**


 * **Curriculum**


 * **Building Teacher Capacity**


 * **The Millionaire Club**


 * **Libraries**


 * **Literacy Support Network**

=Literacy Commitments Page=

//With information multiplying at such a fast rate, teachers need to apprentice their students in the literacy of their discipline [Academic Literacy] so that students are equipped with the concepts/skills/understandings needed to acquire, interpret, and process new information when they graduate from HISD classrooms.//

//In the Houston Independent School District literacy is defined as the ability to read, write, speak, listen and think effectively. //


 * Literacy Leads the Way** recommends that all students spend a **minimum of** **20% - 25% of their time** **in __each__ class** engaged in integrated literacy strategies to support their content-specific learning. 

· modeling strategies for my students to activate or develop ** prior knowledge and making connections ** between previous learning and new information. · giving my students a ** purpose for their reading and note-taking work **. · providing my students the opportunity to read content text at their ** appropriate Lexile level **. · providing my students with ** explicit and direct vocabulary instruction ** in the content-specific academic language necessary for success in my content area. · modeling for my students how to use ** text structure ** (the organization of text including charts, graphs and drawings) to help their comprehension in my content area. · modeling a ** process for writing ** in my content that includes planning, drafting and revising with the support of a ** rubric. ** · providing my students with the opportunity to write and revise one ** significant writing assignment ** per grading period that supports content-specific learning. · modeling for my students ** systematic ways to summarize text ** using content-specific academic language. · providing daily opportunities for my students to use ** informal writing ** [journals, interactive notebooks, etc.].
 * __READING__**
 * Successful students use strategies before, during, and after reading. In order to create better readers, I commit to:**
 * __WRITING__**
 * Successful students process information through formal and informal writing. In order to create better writers, I commit to:**

· providing daily opportunities for my students to engage in formal and informal ** facilitated classroom discussions ** using content-specific academic language. · providing my students with opportunities for ** formal presentations ** at least once each semester.
 * __SPEAKING/LISTENING__**
 * Successful students process information through formal and informal speaking opportunities. In order to create better speakers and listeners, I commit to:**

=Literacy Support Network Page=

An implementation and monitoring support network comprised of district, regional and campus level literacy specialists to ensure fidelity of Literacy Leads the Way district wide.


 * ~ Primary Focus - Literacy Support ||~ Literacy Support ||
 * **District Level**


 * 1 Special Education
 * 1 Elementary
 * 1 Middle Schools
 * 1 High School ||  ||
 * **Regional Level**


 * 24 positions (one per feeder pattern) || * Bilingual/ESL and Title III specialists (2 per region)
 * Special Ed Reading Specialists (1 per region) ||
 * **Campus Level**


 * Reading First literacy coaches
 * Middle School literacy coaches (1 per school)
 * High School literacy coaches || * Title III lead teacher (1 per campus)
 * Special Ed lead teachers (1 per campus)
 * Dyslexia contact person (1 per campus)
 * Dslexia support teacher (1 per campus) ||

=Lexiles Page=

article that already exists on HISD website

=Millionaire Club Page=

In the summer of 2008, HISD began a partnership with the Houston Public Library to begin a summer reading program called The Millionaire Club. The goal is for every student in the Houston Independent School District to read five books during the summer.

Research has shown that reading at least five books that interest a child and are at his reading level can offset a condition known as “summer loss” when a child’s reading ability digresses over the summer months.

HISD students leave school in May with a computer print out of books that they have selected within their Lexile targeted range. The HISD library software system has been modified to indicate if the chosen titles are available at the Houston Public Library. Students reading the five books of their choice will receive incentives and recognition on their campus when they return to school in the fall.

In 2008, the first year of The Millionaire Club, 172 schools participated with over 11,500 students reading at least five books over the summer of 2008. The school with the highest percentage of student participation was East Early College with 91% student participation.


 * Link to news articles.**