UnboundEd/CORE Contributor in California's Early Literacy Support Block Grant Program Success

NEW YORK, December 5, 2023 (Newswire.com) - In a groundbreaking study conducted by Stanford University researchers Sarah Novicoff and Thomas Dee, the positive impact of literacy reforms rooted in the "science of reading" has been released, demonstrating significant improvements in student reading at scale. The study, The Achievement Effects of Scaling Early Literacy Reforms, which focused on California's Early Literacy Support Block Grant (ELSBG), provides compelling evidence that recent policy efforts aligning early reading teaching with research have led to substantial gains in student achievement.

Beginning with Literacy Action Plans in July 2021, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) sponsored the participation of 336 coaches, teachers, and administrators in the Online Elementary Reading Academy. CORE Learning hosted this asynchronous virtual course focused on effective instructional practices linked to the science of reading. SCOE also contracted with CORE to facilitate a series of Plan-Do-Study-Act sessions supporting school-site teams in identifying and implementing changes in their literacy-related practices. Across these sessions, an average of 58 ELSBG-eligible schools participated.

The study finds the research, spanning the first two years of the ELSBG implementation, showcased a quarter-of-a-year equivalent increase in student literacy. In participating schools, 3rd-grade English/language arts test scores rose by an impressive 0.14 of a standard deviation more on average compared to non-participating schools. This outcome, estimated to be 25 percent of a year of learning, reinforces the effectiveness of science-of-reading-aligned pedagogy. There were also spill-over effects on students’ math achievement.

These achievements underscore the effectiveness of the CORE Online Elementary Reading Academy (OERA) and UnboundEd's literacy coaching services, which played a central role in the services offered to participating schools. 

The results come as UnboundEd/CORE concludes its participation in the three-year ELSBG, which has positively impacted over 15,000 students across California. The organization's ongoing commitment to improving literacy outcomes is also demonstrated through its support for adolescent learners via the Adolescent Literacy Planning and Implementation Collaborative (ALPIC), a new initiative reflecting the valuable lessons learned from the ELSBG program.

About UnboundEd/CORE Learning

UnboundEd and its subsidiary CORE are dedicated to improving teaching and learning, with a focus on underserved students. As the nation's largest educator development organization focusing on improving teaching and learning for underserved students, they serve over 400 school districts and are committed to elevating educational standards and outcomes through innovative approaches and effective training.

Source: UnboundEd Learning