Literacy Committee

Meeting 1 Material: Purpose and Overview

OASD Forms Committee to Guide Upcoming Literacy Curriculum Adoption

The first meeting of the district’s newly formed literacy committee took place on Thursday, January 11. The committee, comprised of teachers, coordinators, administrators, and community members, will provide input and feedback as the OASD researches options and plans a K-5 literacy curriculum pilot for the 2024-2025 school year. 

The literacy committee is scheduled to meet five times, beginning in January 2024 and ending in April 2024. The purpose of the first meeting was to provide an overview of the curriculum adoption process and timeline, and discuss committee expectations and responsibilities. The meeting was facilitated by Dr. Sam Coleman, OASD assistant superintendent of instruction, as well as Dr. Kim Brown, OASD director of elementary schools, and Dr. Linda Kuhaupt, OASD director of literacy.

"I want to thank the dedicated educators, staff, and community members who have volunteered their time for this important literacy committee,” said Dr. Sam Coleman, OASD assistant superintendent of instruction. “Their diverse voices and collaborative spirit will help ensure we choose a curriculum that serves all students and families in our district. This process is about more than selecting classroom resources - it is about building the skills and passion for reading that become the foundation for future success. Our district is fully committed to making radical improvements in literacy outcomes, and this committee will help steer us toward curriculum choices that make that vision a reality."

The literacy committee’s next meeting will take place in February and will focus on building a shared understanding of literacy curriculum.

Meeting 2 Material: Building Shared Understanding

Literacy Committee Builds Shared Vision for Curriculum

The OASD’s literacy committee is continuing to develop a shared understanding of comprehensive curriculum and high quality teaching and learning. The second meeting of the newly formed committee took place on Thursday, February 1. The committee, comprised of teachers, coordinators, administrators, and community members, will provide input and feedback as the OASD researches options and plans a K-5 literacy curriculum pilot for the 2024-2025 school year. 

During its second of five scheduled meetings, the committee examined the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Early Literacy Curriculum and Instruction Materials Guide to better understand the components of a robust literacy curriculum. They also learned about how knowledge building curriculum impacts reading comprehension and literacy (reading, writing, speaking) skill development. After reviewing feedback from the first meeting, the committee also identified examples and non-examples of high quality teaching and learning practices that build student literacy. 

“By taking the time to build consensus and grow in our understanding of literacy curriculum we are ensuring that our work is grounded in doing what is best for our students,” said Dr. Sam Coleman, OASD assistant superintendent of instruction. “This committee is dedicated to helping our youngest learners develop excellent reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.”

The literacy committee will meet again in March to hear presentations from three curriculum vendors: Amplify CKLA, Savva Learning MyView, and Benchmark Advance. Committee members will assess the proposed materials using the district’s established desired literacy curriculum components* (see below).

*Desired Literacy Curriculum Components

• Comprehensive (including all components of the Science of Reading)
  • phonological awareness (including phonemic awareness)
  • phonics
  • building background knowledge
  • oral language development
  • instruction in writing
  • instruction in comprehension
  • reading fluency
• Knowledge-Building
• Teacher-friendly, students-friendly, and parent-friendly (All materials teachers need to ensure access to grade level text and standards are provided.)
• Diverse and equitable materials
• Student engagement and mastery
• Integrated formative and summative assessments
• Guaranteed and viable curriculum
• Supports to limit the achievement/opportunity gaps

Literacy Committee Hears Vendor Presentations

The OASD’s literacy committee is continuing to develop a shared understanding of comprehensive curriculum and high quality teaching and learning. The third meeting of the committee took place on March 8th. The committee, comprised of teachers, coordinators, administrators, and community members, will provide input and feedback as the OASD researches options and plans a K-5 literacy curriculum pilot for the 2024-2025 school year. 

During its third of five scheduled meetings, the committee heard presentations from three curriculum vendors: Amplify CKLA, Savvas Learning MyView, and Benchmark Advance.  Committee members were tasked with assessing the proposed materials using the district’s established desired literacy curriculum components.

The literacy committee will meet a second time in March to look at data and desired outcomes.

Meeting 4 Material: Feedback on Pilot Consideration

Literacy Committee Reviews Data and Desired Outcomes

The OASD’s literacy committee is nearing the end of its curriculum review process. The fourth meeting of the committee took place on March 21st. The committee, comprised of teachers, coordinators, administrators, and community members, will provide input and feedback as the OASD researches options and plans a K-5 literacy curriculum pilot for the 2024-2025 school year. 

During its fourth of five scheduled meetings, the committee looked at shared implications of the current state of literacy (student achievement, classroom observation, teacher experience) against the future state (instructional vision), identified scalable conditions and strategies that will contribute to future results, and shared joint instruction aspirations (high quality teaching and learning) for literacy.

The literacy committee will conclude this phase of work at its last meeting in April. At that time committee members will discuss the pilot and opportunities to engage in the work ahead. 

Meeting 5 Material: Feedback on Pilot Consideration

Literacy Committee Shares Information and Feedback on Pilot Considerations

The fifth and final meeting of the OASD’s literacy committee took place on April 18. The committee, comprised of teachers, coordinators, administrators, and community members, provided input and feedback as the OASD researched options and planned a K-5 literacy curriculum pilot (two curricula) or field study (one curriculum) for the 2024-2025 school year.

During the fifth meeting, the focus was on sharing information and getting feedback on considerations for the literacy curriculum pilot or field study. A slide deck was presented to facilitate conversations about the options for adoption of a new literacy curriculum. Committee members discussed the various curricula being evaluated and provided perspectives on rolling out a pilot or field study.

OASD leaders expressed appreciation for the committee's engagement throughout this multi-meeting process. The district plans to continue engaging this committee by providing updates and opportunities for collective reflection as the literacy curriculum work progresses through piloting and potential adoption phases.

The next step is for district leaders to use the input provided by the committee to make a decision on which curriculum will be piloted or used for a field study. Once a decision is made, district leaders will be sharing a detailed update and next steps with school leaders and educators, while also keeping families and the community updated.