Project CLEAR

• Increase capacity of teacher leaders, reading specialists, and classroom teachers (i.e. knowledge, mindset, skill, will) through evidence-based student outcomes and research-based professional learning (e.g., application with students, onsite practice in schools and expert individualized coaching). 
• Establish widespread availability of and access to literacy acceleration for diverse students (e.g., low income, English learners, students in dual language programs, and students with disabilities) by increasing the number of teacher leaders, reading specialists, and classroom teachers that are certified in evidence-based and research-based Reading Recovery/Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL) interventions.
• Address students’ learning recovery and acceleration by providing access to prevention and intervention via Reading Recovery/Descubriendo la Lectura based on its merits and the evidence cited by the What Works Clearinghouse - Reading Recovery (WWC).
• Build literacy teams and networks within districts and at school sites through a structured professional learning model designed to effectively and efficiently meet all students’ needs.

Participants will explore different elements of powerful literacy teaching and learning. Educators will be empowered  to prepare and teach reading interventions. Every session will offer sample videos of teaching students from early childhood, elementary and adolescent contexts. All sessions will feature practical tools and immediately applicable strategies for accelerating students’ literacy. 

New opportunities coming soon.

Project CLEAR grant funding for district teacher leaders accepted to the program includes tuition and fees at Saint Mary's College, professional books necessary for the coursework, and student materials necessary for teaching daily lessons.

Also included is:

• Teacher Leader Institute conference fee (June 2023)
• Year two Reading Recovery affiliation fee and professional learning  
• Partial funding for teacher expenses when trained by the certified teacher leader

About Saint Mary's College of California

The Comprehensive Literacy Center at Saint Mary’s College of California serves as the West Coast training center for the professional development of teacher leaders in the United States who implement the Reading Recovery practice in their classrooms. They provide effective and inclusive approaches to improved literacy instruction, high-quality professional development, research-based instructional practices that bridge a range of theoretical stances, and a comprehensive and diagnostic assessment system.

Teacher Leader and District Commitments

Reading Recovery is a two-year training program for teacher leaders. Year one is the coursework and training year, and year two is for the field work. Teacher leader candidates must hold a master's degree in a related field, have a record of successful teaching of reading and writing in elementary school settings, and demonstrate leadership and coaching abilities.

• Enroll in and successfully complete 16 units of coursework focusing on Reading Recovery assessment, teaching, theory, and research in reading, and skills for training other teachers and coordinating a Reading Recovery program. 
• Work individually with four, 30-minute Reading Recovery lessons each day (approximately 2.5 to three hours). 
• Demonstrate teaching “behind the glass” with one child in Reading Recovery at least twice a semester for two semesters. Video examples will be expected throughout the year and access to basic technology is required.
• Lead “behind the glass” Reading Recovery lessons at least four times during the year. This is met through working with a trained teacher leader at their site.
• Collect and maintain data on children in accordance with guidelines for evaluation.
• Be observed by the trainer of teacher leaders a minimum of two times per year while working with Reading Recovery children and Reading Recovery teachers.
• Attend the National Reading Recovery Conference during the training year and attend the required Teacher Leader Institute every year of participation in Reading Recovery. Attendance once each year at a Reading Recovery Conference after the training period is strongly recommended.
• Affiliate with and attend four to six days of Reading Recovery ongoing professional development at Saint Mary’s College of California University Training Center during the training year and maintain that affiliation and continue to attend in year two (field year) and each succeeding year the teacher leader is active in the program. 

Next Steps

Please contact Cynthia Craft for more information or if you are interested in applying to participate in this grant funded program. 

Grant Contact Information

• Dr. Shannon Baker, Sr. Director, Curriculum and Instruction
• Cynthia Craft, Coordinator, English Language Arts
• Dr. Adria Klein, Director and Trainer
• Dr. Debra Rich, Assistant Director and Trainer

The goal of Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL) is to dramatically reduce the number of bilingual first-grade students who have extreme difficulty learning to read and write in bilingual classrooms and to reduce the cost of these learners to educational systems.

There are two positive outcomes for DLL students:

• Outcomes are comparable to outcomes for Reading Recovery students. Approximately 75% of students with a complete DLL intervention reach grade-level expectations.
• The few students who are still having difficulty after a complete DLL intervention are referred for further evaluation. They may be candidates for longer-term interventions.

View video below to learn from one teacher's experience and visit Reading Recovery's website.