Legislature(2021 - 2022)ANCH LIO DENALI Rm
07/27/2021 01:00 PM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): “early Learning Policies – Lessons from Mississippi" | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
July 27, 2021
1:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Harriet Drummond, Co-Chair (via teleconference)
Representative Grier Hopkins (via teleconference)
Representative Mike Prax (via teleconference)
Representative Ronald Gillham (via teleconference)
Representative Andi Story, Co-Chair (via teleconference)
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Senator Roger Holland, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair (via teleconference)
Senator Shelley Hughes (via teleconference)
Senator Tom Begich
MEMBERS ABSENT
HOUSE MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky
Representative Mike Cronk
SENATE MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Peter Micciche
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): "Early Learning Policies Lessons from
Mississippi"
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
MICHAEL JOHNSON, Ph.D., Commissioner
Department of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced the presenters.
CAREY M. WRIGHT, ED.D., State Superintendent of Education
Mississippi Department of Education
Jackson, Mississippi
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint titled "Improving
Early Literacy in Mississippi."
KYMYONA BURK, ED.D., Policy Director for Early Literacy
ExcelinEd
Jackson, Mississippi
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented a PowerPoint titled "Comprehensive
Early Literacy Policy: Improving Literacy Outcomes for All
Students."
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:02:20 PM
CHAIR ROGER HOLLAND called the joint meeting of the House and
Senate Education Standing Committees to order at 1:02 p.m.
Present at the call to order were Senators Begich, Hughes (via
teleconference), Stevens (via teleconference), and Chair
Holland; and Representatives Hopkins (via teleconference), Prax
(via teleconference), Gillham (via teleconference), and Co-Chair
Drummond. Co-Chair Story joined the meeting (via teleconference)
soon thereafter.
^PRESENTATION(S): "Early Learning Policies Lessons from
Mississippi"
PRESENTATION(S): "Early Learning Policies Lessons from
Mississippi"
1:02:48 PM
CHAIR HOLLAND stated that Alaska is at the bottom of the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) rankings and
members of both committees are working to put policies in place
to give students opportunities to succeed. The Senate Education
Committee passed SB 111, which awaits action by Senate Finance.
The House Education Committee has debated companion legislation,
HB 164. More work is needed in this area and Mr. Johnson,
Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education Early
Childhood Development, requested members hear presentations by
Dr. Wright titled "Improving Early Literacy in Mississippi
Policies, Strategies and Outcomes and by Dr. Burk titled
"Comprehensive Early Literacy Policy: Improving Literacy
Outcomes for All Students.
1:04:11 PM
MICHAEL JOHNSON, Ph.D., Commissioner, Department of Education
and Early Development, Juneau, Alaska, said he has seen a
transformation under the leadership of Dr. Wright and Dr. Burk.
Mississippi was ranked fiftieth in the country for education.
Its advanced placement participation rate and success rate have
nearly doubled. Low-performing and low-income student progress
have risen at the fastest pace in the country. The state's
graduation rate is at an all-time high of 87.7 percent. Alaska's
path to success will not look like Mississippi's. However, it
will start with kids learning to read. He stated that Alaskan
students are capable of higher levels of achievement. Dr. Wright
and Dr. Burk's story of success in Mississippi is inspiring.
1:10:23 PM
Co-Chair Andi Story joined the meeting telephonically.
1:10:46 PM
CAREY M. WRIGHT, ED.D., State Superintendent of Education,
Mississippi Department of Education, Jackson, Mississippi,
stated she will share what has worked to improve education in
Mississippi and explain the mechanics of the law.
DR. WRIGHT began the presentation on slide 2 with the vision and
mission of the Mississippi Department of Education. She offered
that creating a vision for a world-class education system is no
small feat. At the heart of everything done, the focus is
successful children, regardless of whether they go to college,
the world of work, or the military. "If you do not know where
you are heading, you're never going to know whether you get
there."
DR. WRIGHT said the State Board of Mississippi established six
goals for all children and held to them:
1) All Students Proficient and Showing Growth in All
Assessed Areas
2) Every Student Graduates from High School and is Ready
for College and Career
3) Every Child Has Access to a High-Quality Early
Childhood Program
4) Every School Has Effective Teachers and Leaders
5) Every Community Effectively Uses a World-Class Data
System to Improve Student Outcomes
6) Every School and District is Rated "C" or Higher
DR. WRIGHT commented that this was the first time Mississippi
included early childhood in its goals. She explained that
Mississippi has an A thru F school rating system, and the goal
is to have all schools be a C or above.
DR. WRIGHT turned to slide 4 and stated that when she arrived in
Mississippi in November of 2013, the state ranked fiftieth in
education. "Quality Counts," an annual report from Education
Week that evaluates all states, gave Mississippi an overall
rating of F, with an F in achievement and a D for the chance of
success. The graduation rate was the second lowest among
neighboring states at 75.5 percent. The National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment placed all the state's
fourth graders reading one whole grade level below the national
average. The Mississippi assessment indicated students were 65-
70 percent proficient in reading, whereas the NAEP assessment
determined reading proficiency was 22 percent.
1:13:51 PM
DR. WRIGHT reported that Mississippi is ranked thirty-ninth in
the nation for education. The states overall rating in "Quality
Counts" increased to a C-, with a B for equity and C for the
chance of success. The graduation rate is higher than the
national average at 87.7 percent. The 2019 NAEP results placed
Mississippi first in the Nation for gains in fourth grade
reading and math, higher than the national average in math and
tied for reading. Mississippi has ranked second for the most
improved school in the Nation for the third consecutive year.
DR. WRIGHT turned to slide 6 and said that success is not one
strategy but a linking of several that the education department
organizes itself around. It is necessary to adopt rigorous
college and career-ready standards. Mississippi updated
assessments to align with NAEP using teacher involvement and
accountability. The final strategy was to build teacher and
leader capacity through a major professional development
initiative to ensure students master higher standards.
1:16:29 PM
DR. WRIGHT said slide 8 shows that Mississippi passed two laws
in 2013. The Early Learning Collaborative Act established the
first state-funded pre-K program; it was the first time
Mississippi ever put money into pre-K. Due to positive
collaboration results, the legislature's appropriation of $3
million for the first two years jumped to $16 million in 2021.
The other legislation passed was the Literacy-Based Promotion
Act that made reading instruction a focus in K-3 learning. In
2014 the department of education was given $9.5 million. This
amount was not enough. The following year the department was
given $15 million. Both pieces of legislation supported
Mississippi's strategic plan to improve outcomes for all
students by improving early literacy. Early literacy is not just
pre-K; it is pre-K thru Grade 3.
Slide 9 lists key components of the Early Learning Collaborative
Act.
Key Components
• Provides funding to local communities to
establish or expand high-quality early childhood
education programs called Early Learning
Collaboratives (ELCs)
• ELCs include a lead partner (public school or
nonprofit group) and collaborators including
school districts, Head Start sites, childcare
centers, and nonprofit organizations.
• Enables state education department to establish
first Office of Early Childhood Education
• Professional development offered, for free, to
all early childhood providers in public and
private settings
DR. WRIGHT stated that partners work on some study units
together. Ninety-five to ninety-eight percent of all children in
childcare enter public kindergarten. Therefore, outreach to
private childcare providers allowed the school district to
impact programs it otherwise had no control over.
1:19:08 PM
DR. WRIGHT turned to slide 10 Early Learning Collaborative Act.
Another key piece of legislation was a tax credit for businesses
that donate money to collaboratives. When it first started in
2014-15 donations totaled $278,850. In 2020-21 donations to
collaboratives totaled $5.6 million. Children who attend high-
quality early childhood programs have less involvement in drugs,
less involvement with the police, are more likely to graduate on
time, and are more likely to sustain higher-paying jobs.
Businesses consider this a good return on investment.
1:20:10 PM
DR. WRIGHT referring to slide 11 said the Mississippi State
Department of Education was limited in the number of positions
it could hire but wanted early childhood education coaches. To
obtain funds, she said she approached the Kellogg Foundation for
financial support, and Kellogg offered a $6 million grant to
hire coaches and other staff. The department kept data on the
program, and when the grant ended, the department obtained
funding for the coaching program from the legislature:
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Grant
• $6 million grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation
awarded to MDE to build early childhood education
infrastructure in Mississippi (state dollars will
fund when grant ends)
• Funds support 10 early childhood education coaches
and other staff who build the capacity of early
childhood education professionals in a variety of
pre-K settings statewide
• Family engagement strategies provided to help
programs increase parents' participation in their
children's education
1:21:16 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated that coaches are sent to schools where data is
the worst. Coaching is a key component of the Literacy-Based
Promotion Act: [slide 12]
Role of Coach
• Establish relationship, trust, and respect among
teachers and coach
• Observe classroom and teacher practices
• Set goals and action steps for Quality
Implementation Plan
• Help teachers identify strengths, areas for growth,
and steps to improve instruction
• Provide supportive and constructive feedback
• Model developmentally appropriate practices
supported with early learning standards and
guidelines
• Share research- and evidence-based knowledge and
practices
• Provide resources and support strategies for
teachers
1:21:55 PM
DR. WRIGHT commenting on slide 13 added that teachers received
twenty hours of reading training in LETRS, for general classroom
students and Phonics First training for special education
students. Reading assessments are given three times during the
school year, and letters are sent to the parents of struggling
students quarterly:
Literacy-Based Promotion Act:
Key Components
• Trains educators statewide to be more effective at
teaching reading (teachers trained using Language
Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling/LETRS)
• Deploys literacy coaches to lowest-performing schools
to support teachers
• Adds K-3 monitoring and assessment system, including a
3rd grade reading test for students to qualify for 4th
grade promotion
• Requires schools to engage parents and communicate
with them regularly
• Enables state education agency to establish first
Office of Elementary Education and Reading
1:23:41 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated that the following enhancements were made to
the Literacy-Based Promotion Act:
Laws & Amendments to Enhance Literacy-Based Promotion
Act
Teacher Certification
• Law enacted in 2016 requires elementary education
candidates to pass "a rigorous test of scientifically
research-based reading instruction and intervention"
to ensure they know effective practices for teaching
reading
• Mississippi requires candidates to pass the
Foundations of Reading Assessment Individual Reading
Plan
• Amendment in 2016 required educators to create
Individual Reading Plans for students to improve
reading
1:24:50 PM
DR. WRIGHT moved to slide 15 and stated that the department's
special education director is nationally known. Since a lot of
training is needed to identify dyslexia, a Microsoft Teams
meeting with the Alaska Legislature could be arranged if there
is interest.
Dyslexia Awareness Training (2021)
• Requires districts to conduct four hours of awareness
training for dyslexia and other related disorders to
all licensed educators and paraprofessionals
responsible for instruction
Dyslexia Scholarships (2012)
• Requires local adoption policies to screen students
for dyslexia in kindergarten and first grade
• Provides funds for students to attend special purpose
non-public school offering Orton-Gillingham based
instruction by a licensed dyslexia therapist five days
a week
Dyslexia Grants (1997)
• Three-year grant to districts to support students with
dyslexia and/or related reading disorders in general
education
• Grant funds dyslexia screener, dyslexia interventions,
instructional resources, assessments, professional
development, and up to 80% of dyslexia therapist
salary
DR. WRIGHT explained that Mississippi has a 5-level
assessment system for determining reading proficiency.
Students needed to rank at a level one or higher before the
law was changed. The legislature rewrote the law to assist
the goal of proficiency, and students must now achieve a
level 3. Slide 15 read as follows:
Laws & Amendments to Enhance Literacy-Based Promotion
Act
Higher Expectations for 3rd Grade Reading
• Amendment passed in 2016 to raise the passing
score on the 3rd grade reading test starting in
the 2018-19 school year
• Students are now required to score above the
lowest two achievement levels, which shows they
are approaching proficiency
• 3rd grade students who fail to meet the academic
requirements for promotion to 4th grade may be
promoted for good cause (included in original
law)
1:27:04 PM
DR. WRIGHT emphasized that Mississippi needed to ensure that
requirements for teacher certification included the science of
reading. Teachers needed to understand the science of reading
and how to provide instruction. She opined that the key to
making sure kids are reading on grade level by the end of third
grade is prevention and intervention. A provision in the law
allows for retention, but the focus is on prevention and
intervention.
Key Decisions Enacted through Legislation and Support:
• Teacher Certification Requires Test of Knowledge of
Research-Based Reading Instruction and Intervention
(2016)
• Individual Reading Plan (2016)
• Higher Expectations for 3rd Grade Reading Assessment
(2018-19)
• Early Childhood Education Coaches (2018-19)
1:28:04 PM
DR. WRIGHT moved to slide 18 and said Dr. Burk would share
updated information regarding.
DR. WRIGHT skipped to slide 20 and stated that the
implementation of literacy strategies takes time. The key to
success is staying focused on critical elements. Knowing how to
read is fundamental. Mississippi has not veered from LETRS
training or coaching. The department hired coaches based on the
candidates' understanding of pedagogy and adult learning theory.
Schools that welcomed coaching saw the fastest improvement.
1:31:12 PM
DR. WRIGHT said the bulk of Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA)
program funding goes to literacy coaching (61%) followed by
professional development (17%). Teachers must have the skill
sets to foster improvement in grades pre-K thru Grade 3.
DR. WRIGHT said that slide 22 shows that key strategies, and
parent communication are essential to literacy-based learning.
The department's policy director traveled the state to inform
parents of the law, what to expect and how to work with schools.
She reiterated it is a pre-K-3 focus.
DR. WRIGHT reported that more than 15,000 educators had
completed LETRS training, including K-3 general education
teachers, K-8 special education teachers, elementary principals,
and institutions of higher learning reading faculty.
The eight points in slide 23 are what teachers learn during
training. All sections are essential to teach the science of
reading. Teachers must realize the mistakes they made, but it is
more critical they become better teachers by applying the
information they have been taught. The slide read as follows:
Educator Training: LETRS:
Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and
Spelling (LETRS)
1. Challenges of Learning to Read
2. Speech Sounds of English Phonetics, Phonology,
and Phoneme Awareness
3. Spellography for Teachers
4. Building Vocabulary and Oral Language
5. Developing Fluency
6. Teaching Text Comprehension
7. Teaching Phonics, Word Study, and Alphabetic
Principle
8. Teaching Beginning Spelling and Writing
1:33:19 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated the Mississippi Department of Education hired
the Regional Educational Laboratory at Florida State University
to confirm that the improvement in students' assessments was due
to teacher implementation of the LETRS program. The study
confirmed teachers were implementing the program as taught and
further stated teachers reported being more knowledgeable.
1:34:17 PM
DR. WRIGHT said the department needed to figure out an
organizational structure to implement the coaching program. The
best way to reach everyone was a multi-layered structure with
the State Literacy Director at the core. Other areas within the
department are now replicating the layering structure.
1:35:10 PM
DR. WRIGHT turned to slide 26 and stated there are only a few
positions in her department's organizational structure, so it
was important to have talented people working in the positions.
DR. WRIGHT explained that the legislature appropriated money but
not enough job positions, so the department developed the
Educator in Residence (EIR) model. The department gave funds to
the University of Mississippi to hire seventeen Professional
Development Coordinators (PDs). They then work with the
department to offer English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Special
Education, and Early Childhood training. When a school district
identifies an area where training is needed, they request
professional development. A PD coordinator then works with the
school district to develop and present the training.
1:37:30 PM
DR. WRIGHT commented that many coaches return to the classroom,
which allows new coaches to be recruited.
DR. WRIGHT moved to slide 29 and emphasized that the role of a
coach is to improve student achievement by building the capacity
of teachers. For the pre-K-3 reading program it is important to
work together, stay focused, and keep legislation clear.
1:39:14 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated that in addition to the ongoing support of
statewide stakeholder meetings, regional literacy professional
development, and literacy coaching support, the department used
the company Amplify to instruct teachers on using assessment
data to improve instruction.
DR. WRIGHT displayed slide 31 and mentioned that it has been
hard to get institutions of higher learning to make changes
quickly to educator craft. Education students coming out of
college need to be ready to teach. They paid for a teaching
degree, yet the state is paying to teach them how to do their
job. Mississippi has in place a new university evaluation system
for education students, is considering redesigning its reading
sequence, and is deciding whether graduates should teach for one
full year before receiving a license.
1:41:04 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated that it takes the legislature to write a solid
bill that the Department of Education then implements. The
Department of Education then works with district
superintendents, who work with principals, and the principals
work with teachers. All the parts are needed and must work
together.
DR. WRIGHT stated that the Mississippi Department of Education
has a lot of resources that superintendents can use.
1:42:09 PM
DR. WRIGHT moved to slide 34 on instructional resources and
stated that teachers needed a place online to find high-quality
educational materials when the pandemic hit. The department put
up a website with high-quality digital content and digital
learning. They started with math and social studies and then
added English Language Arts (ELA).
1:42:41 PM
DR. WRIGHT shared that Strong Readers Strong Leaders Mississippi
is a website the department has been enhancing for several
years. It provides reading activities and resources for children
from birth thru fifth grade.
1:43:06 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated that the Family Guide for Student Success has
been popular. The guides are available in English and Spanish to
inform parents what their children should learn at each grade
level.
DR. WRIGHT turned to slide 39 and shared that Mississippi is one
of four states that meet all ten quality standards set by the
National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) in 2020.
She opined that early learning collaboratives work. Mississippi
instituted a kindergarten readiness assessment when the
Literacy-Based Promotion Act was passed. When kindergarteners
registered for school, parents reported the name of the child's
care provider when they were four years old. She stated that
having this information allowed her to disaggregate data and
determine how students from different childcare options faired
coming into school. Students coming from collaboratives
outperform all other childcare options.
DR. WRIGHT stated that two out of three children coming into
Mississippi kindergarten were not ready. Early learning
collaboratives changed that, and now seventy-seven percent of
collaborative students meet kindergarten readiness standards.
Public pre-K classes have a sixty-nine percent readiness score.
1:45:24 PM
DR. WRIGHT referred to slide 41 and stated that this was the
most current data on kindergarten readiness scores. Head Start
was only one point above children who stay home. Pre-K private
and public childcare are where collaboratives are placed. The
scores for students attending these two types of childcare
centers are consistently at or above the readiness score of 530.
1:46:04 PM
DR. WRIGHT said that third-grader retention was a concern when
Mississippi raised its reading level requirement. Mississippi
gives third graders three opportunities to pass a reading exam.
In 2019, eighty-six percent passed, which was a significant
improvement.
DR. WRIGHT referred to slide 43 and said while the progress over
the past ten years has not put Mississippi students where they
need to be, the focus on literacy has paid off.
1:47:08 PM
DR. WRIGHT reported that in 2019 when the NAEP scores came out,
Mississippi was first in the nation for fourth-grade reading and
math. It was third in the nation for gains in eighth-grade math
and fourth in the nation for gains in eighth-grade reading.
Mississippi was second in the nation for eighth-grade math,
fourth-grade math, and fourth-grade reading over the ten years.
DR. WRIGHT stated that NAEP is not a census test. It is the only
assessment that has been administered across the nation for the
purpose of comparing scores. The state commissioner receives a
letter from the National Assessment Governing Board listing the
randomly selected districts, grades, and schools to be tested.
The federal government does the testing. There is no way to
prepare for the NAEP. When the children of Mississippi
outperformed their peers, Mississippi had the highest level of
poverty in the nation, which is proof that all children can
learn.
DR. WRIGHT moved to slide 45 and stated Mississippi's Academic
Assessment Program (MAAP) results show that every year scores
keep rising.
1:49:27 PM
While the pre-K-Grade 3 strategy was in place, a secondary and
middle school strategy was happening simultaneously, including
advanced placement, dual credit, dual enrollment, early college
high schools, revising course offerings, and GED expansion.
Keeping more kids in school to graduate is vital.
1:50:30 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated Mississippi had come a long way from having an
F. It was hard work, but it was the right work to be doing.
1:51:23 PM
SENATOR BEGICH referenced goal 4 on slide 3 and asked what
specifically was done to meet the goal of every school having
effective teachers and leaders.
DR. WRIGHT replied a key element was professional development in
all content areas. Special education teachers work side-by-side
with general education teachers. Students with disabilities are
the lowest performing. Therefore, it is essential they be fully
included when possible. The graduation rate of special needs
students was twenty-two percent when the program first started;
it is now forty-eight percent.
DR. WRIGHT said Mississippi has redone its professional board
system. The old method of giving an effectiveness score was not
helping. Teacher evaluations now center on areas for growth. The
Southern Regional Education Board established a task force
eighteen months ago to evaluate teacher recruitment and
retention and the state's Educator Preparation Program. As a
result, the state will be developing a professional ladder
system where teachers enter at one level and move up in a
leadership capacity based on their knowledge and skills. The
formation of a teacher leadership group provided fantastic
feedback before and during the pandemic and enables the
department to know what is needed. She stated her belief that
the department's role is to serve Mississippi's districts,
principals, and teachers by using their input for future
professional development.
1:55:04 PM
SENATOR BEGICH related that the requirement that elementary-
endorsed teachers be trained in evidence-based reading was
eliminated from HB 164. A second change weakened the bill's
accountability and data collection elements by making them
optional. He asked for a response to these changes.
DR. WRIGHT replied, "Oh, Lord," training and accountability
requirements should not be optional. There is a science to
reading and a way to teach it that teachers welcome. Teachers
want professional flexibility but within guardrails of what is
known to work. Research is available on what works; there is no
need to guess.
She stated she is a firm believer in accountability for all
involved in the process. Data must be transparent and used to
guide decision-making. An accurate idea of what is happening
across the state is needed if issues are to be addressed. Do not
retreat from doing what is required or posting results when the
goal has not been accomplished. The state needs to help teachers
figure out what is happening and how to fix it. Data leads to
informed decision-making.
1:59:30 PM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked what type of investments companies made
to receive tax credits.
DR. WRIGHT answered that businesses could give cash or materials
to collaboratives. Donations increased when results were
noticed.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND commented that some businesses have a
preschool for employee use, which might require an independent
action. She asked if coaches are assigned to school districts.
DR. WRIGHT replied that coaches are deployed to schools with the
lowest performance, and school size is a factor in how many
coaches are assigned. Collaboratives were deliberately sent to
underserved areas of the state so that more children could have
access to high-quality early childhood programs.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked if it is possible to drive to every
school in Mississippi.
DR. WRIGHT replied yes. She agreed it is a difference between
the two states.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND referenced slide 28 and asked the total number
of elementary schools in Mississippi instead of the total number
served by 2020.
DR. WRIGHT replied there are around four hundred thirty to four
hundred fifty elementary schools in Mississippi.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND responded that about half of the schools were
served.
2:02:23 PM
DR. WRIGHT replied that about one-third of Mississippi
elementary schools were served, but service is money-dependent.
If there was twice the amount of money, twice as many coaches
could be hired, but funding has not increased above $15 million.
2:02:51 PM
SENATOR HUGHES stated that due to resistance from education and
teacher organizations, Alaska has no teacher legislation at the
university level that requires a training score before being
licensed. There has also been resistance against strict student
promotion requirements. She stated research shows that states
with more substantial promotion requirements saw more student
growth. Legislators want Alaska's students to excel but having a
strict promotion policy is difficult. She asked if Mississippi
faced resistance to licensing requirements and firm promotion
policy.
2:05:00 PM
DR. WRIGHT replied that there was anxiety when retention was
implemented. Many children were going to be retained. Rather
than focus on retention, the department focused on making
students successful through prevention and intervention.
Professional development was implemented to help the third and
fourth-grade teachers who received retained and below-grade
level students. Teachers are central to making progress happen,
which is why a feedback loop is essential. Children in a
classroom have a wide range of abilities, so it is necessary to
develop a master schedule that incorporates intervention into a
classroom's daily reading period. A lot of teachers needed help
designing master schedules. Success in Mississippi has happened
by creating professional development around teachers' needs and
feedback.
2:07:23 PM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked if additional support was given to
students who tested low before third grade and if students
receive one on one assistance outside of the classroom.
DR. WRIGHT replied that individual schools might have staff
working with students one on one one-on-one, but coaches are
designed to work with teachers. Data needs to be gathered, so
schools know who needs additional help, which is why assessments
are done three times a year. Interventions are then designed as
required. Special education has come alongside general education
in working together to establish interventions that are good for
students with disabilities and students performing below grade
level.
2:08:42 PM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND asked on behalf of Co-Chair Story if there are
alternative assignments for English language (EL) students.
DR. WRIGHT replied Mississippi has a growing population of EL
learners and not enough EL teachers. Mississippi provides
additional professional development and resources to general
education teachers because that is where EL students are
primarily placed. The department has developed a guidebook for
teachers with resources and lessons to assist in teaching EL
students. Mississippi does not want EL students separated from
the general education students because they need to hear spoken
language, learn other subjects, and have role models.
2:10:01 PM
CHAIR HOLLAND asked Dr. Burk to begin her presentation
2:10:07 PM
KYMYONA BURK, ED.D., Policy Director for Early Literacy,
ExcelinEd, Jackson, Mississippi, stated she would be sharing
early literacy data.
DR. BURK stated reading is not just an educational issue. It is
also an economic issue. Businesses say new hires are unprepared.
Eighty-eight percent of students who failed to earn a diploma
were struggling readers in third grade. She read slide 2:
Students who are not reading proficiently in third
grade:
• Are four times more likely to not to graduate
high school.
• If African American or Hispanic, are six times
more likely to drop out or fail to graduate from
high school.
• If low-income minority, are eight times more
likely to drop out or fail to graduate from high
school.
High School Dropouts:
• Are not eligible for 90% of the jobs in the
economy.
• Have yearly earnings that are less than 50% of
someone who earns a Bachelor's Degree.
• Make-up nearly 50% of all heads-of-households on
welfare
DR. BURK said understanding how reading affects the nation
and a child's quality of life is important.
2:12:46 PM
DR. BURK stated the US Department of Education has
statistics related to adult literacy. The Barbara Bush
Foundation recently released a literacy study and its
impact on the economy. The nation could be losing up to
$2.2 trillion annually due to low adult literacy rates.
Nationwide low-literate adults struggle to earn a living
wage, participate in the democratic process, and have
difficulty managing their family's health and finances.
DR. BURK introduced the five components of reading as
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and
comprehension. All five pieces are needed to be a
proficient reader. Decoding-Dyslexia Chapters from around
the country are the force behind policy changes. Parents
want to ensure their children's challenges are identified
early, and teachers know how to address them.
2:15:04 PM
DR. BURK moved to slide 6 and offered that about five percent of
students learn to read effortlessly with structured reading.
These students are from homes with rich oral language and
parents who expose them to books at a young age. Thirty-five
percent of students will find reading to be easy with
comprehensive instruction. Yet, sixty percent of students must
have a structured approach to reading to crack the academic
language code.
2:16:11 PM
DR. BURK explained phonics is only one piece of learning to be a
proficient reader. The simple view of reading is word
recognition and language comprehension, but reading is not
simple; it is challenging for most students. Secondary teachers
who end up with students who struggle to read are less equipped
to help since they have not graduated from teacher prep programs
and courses related to the science of reading. Teaching English
is different than teaching a child to read. Children should
enter middle and high school as confident experts in reading.
There are two major parts to reading comprehension. Word
recognition, which is phonics and decoding, is the students'
ability to transform print into spoken language. It is the
ability to see the word cat, know that the word is "cat,"
retrieve it quickly, and speak it. Word recognition also
includes the ability to identify word families.
The second part of reading is language comprehension. It is
defined as understanding what a word means and includes spoken
language. Language comprehension is understanding what is heard
and knowing that sentences have grammar, structure, and syntax.
Both word recognition and language comprehension are needed for
reading comprehension.
2:19:52 PM
DR. BURK referred to slide 9 and stated she credits the pandemic
for the increase in states having comprehensive K-3 reading
policies because it created concern that kids would not learn to
read if not in school. Parents at home noticed a discrepancy
between what their children were able to do and what teachers
reported. Connecticut, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arizona passed
comprehensive reading legislation this session.
DR. BURK said that NAEP, also known as the Nation's Report Card,
is a standard measure of student achievement administered every
two years. It was not administered in 2021 due to the pandemic.
However, it will be administered in spring 2022.
2:22:12 PM
DR. BURK turned to slide 11 and said Florida was the first state
to pass early literacy laws in 2002. Mississippi was placed on
the chart because it experienced sustained gains. Before
reviewing Alaska's data, she commented that the purpose of
collecting data is to learn and make changes, not shame. For all
students in Alaska, the scale score is 204. The national average
is 219. Alaska currently ranks fifty-first in the nation for
fourth grade reading on the national assessment. Alaskan Natives
are a population unique to Alaska. There is a thirty-one-point
scale score gap between the All Students score and the Alaskan
Natives score. White students scored 221, which seems great
until compared to other subgroups. She stated that Alaska spends
more per pupil than Mississippi or Florida when comparing
student population to per-pupil expenditure. Alaska cannot throw
money at a challenge; it takes work, commitment, and
intentionality. Although necessary, money will not solve
Alaska's reading crisis.
2:24:53 PM
DR. BURK noted that Alaska's scores have remained about the same
for sixteen years. Change must be desired, and there must be
intentionality to how Alaska shapes education to ensure that
students get what they need.
DR. BURK referred to slide 13 and stated that scale scores for
white students in Alaska stayed consistent until 2015 when they
took a seven-point drop below the national average. Why this
happened needs to be determined because fifty percent of
students in Alaska are white.
2:27:36 PM
DR. BURK stated that there is no state comparison for Alaskan
Natives because of their uniqueness to Alaska, but compared to
the national average, the gap is thirty-one points.
2:28:16 PM
DR. BURK stated that growth was inconsistent for Alaskan
Hispanic students from 2009 to 2015. Since 2015 growth has
declined. The national average is 208, and Alaska's average is
206.
2:28:44 PM
DR. BURK explained that scores are suppressed when states have a
category with a low student population and the percentage falls
below a specified number. This happened to the 2019 score for
black students in Alaska. She pointed out Mississippi's scale
scores have sustained gains after literacy laws were passed.
DR. BURK turned to slide 17 and stated demographics and other
circumstances do not impact a child's ability to learn to read.
Components of early literacy, laws, knowledgeable teachers,
professional development, and support from parents impact how
well children learn to read. Teachers cannot teach what they do
not know. A common language of what it means to teach all
students how to read needs to be developed. The scale score for
economically disadvantaged students in Alaska has not improved
in almost twenty years.
2:30:56 PM
DR. BURK stated that Peggy Carr, the Associate Commissioner for
the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), made these
points to show that struggles with reading do not discriminate:
• Reading struggles are not just limited to Black or
Latino students.
• Lower-performing readers scored by NAEP tests came
from a variety of backgrounds, and the pandemic
could have worsened gaps between low- and high-
scoring students.
• Across the board, NAEP has shown that lower-
performing students are struggling with reading more
now than they were a decade ago.
• "It's not a problem just for poor students, or
students with special needs. We all are represented
in the bottom. Perhaps disproportionately for some
relative to their representation in the population.
But nonetheless, we're all there."
2:32:03 PM
DR. BURK surmised that although there is still work to be done,
Mississippi has put structure and leaders in place to accomplish
it. The department is keeping an eye on the prize. Planning with
intent allows for reflection, assessment, and informed decision-
making to best support school districts, leaders, and families.
DR. BURK concluded the presentation on slide 18 and suggested
Alaska leverage what was learned from the pandemic, especially
in the area of technology, to provide innovative ways to improve
student learning. For example, a highly successful reading
teacher at one school could remotely teach a lesson while an in-
person classroom teacher helped facilitate learning. There are
changes Alaska can make right now to give Alaska's children the
best opportunity for reading proficiency.
2:33:48 PM
CHAIR HOLLAND said he appreciated hearing about the spring 2022
test date because he is eager to see how the pandemic has
affected education.
2:34:23 PM
SENATOR BEGICH noted that Florida's numbers slipped while
Mississippi's numbers went up. Mississippi has learned from the
experience of other states and enhanced its NAEP score. The
economy of scale and no road system should be recognized as
factors in Alaska's per-student expenditure.
Mississippi invested $31 million into pre-K-3 reading with
accountability as a cause for the investment of cash. He opined
that any money spent should be accountable. He stated he was
curious to know why Florida's numbers slipped and what might
account for it. He also asked what conclusions were drawn about
Alaska's scores decreasing in all categories except black
students.
DR. BURK replied that Mississippi's state chief had been the
same for eight years. Mississippi's governor had dyslexia at the
time reading legislation passed. Governor Bryant's lieutenant
governor is now the governor, so Mississippi has consistency
with leadership. The state has kept its eye on the prize and its
focus on literacy statewide. Florida has not had that. Recently,
Florida recommitted itself to literacy using CARES Act funds.
There must be someone who intentionally keeps an eye on the
ball, or the ball drops.
2:37:26 PM
DR. WRIGHT stated she could not speak to the reason for the drop
in Alaska's scores.
SENATOR BEGICH asked the chair if Alaska's commissioner might
know the answer.
DR. BURK replied that some context would need to be provided to
determine what was happening at that time. For example, new
initiatives or changes in leadership.
SENATOR BEGICH stated the reason for the drop would be of
concern for the legislature so that proposals address the cause.
SENATOR HOLLAND stated agreement that Alaska should investigate
the rise and decline in Alaskan students' performance. He
commented that excellence fatigue might be the reason for
Florida's score dropping.
DR. WRIGHT replied that consistency is vital to keep scores up.
She added that she has not seen specific analysis for Alaska
scores.
2:39:13 PM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND, on behalf of Representative Hopkins, asked
for a discussion of the scale, score, and statistical
significance of the chart on slide 12.
DR. BURK replied that scoring on NAEP goes up to 500, and the
nation hovers around two hundred to two hundred thirty. The
graph is for students on this scale who are scoring at the basic
level of proficiency. A statistically significant increase
occurs when a state achieves four or five scale points above its
previous score.
SENATOR HUGHES asked for an explanation of the color differences
on the map on slide 9. She also wondered if greater growth and
success are indicated by dark blue.
DR. BURK explained that dark blue represents states considered
to have a comprehensive K-3 reading policy. Many dark blue
states also have a promotion/retention component. Research from
Florida and Arizona mentioned that K-3 teachers self-reported
working harder to ensure students were not retained. The medium
shade of blue represents states that have instituted some
fundamental principles of the K-3 reading policy. Lighter color
indicates fewer fundamental components of reading. She stated
that components of screening for dyslexia and teacher
preparation were added to the policy last year.
2:41:31 PM
SENATOR HUGHES asked if a darker color means a higher score.
DR. BURK replied the map is not intended to represent scores.
From 2017-2019 most of the scores in the nation went down or
remained flat; before that, the six states that showed gains had
comprehensive early literacy policies.
DR. WRIGHT said Mississippi's scores were always at the bottom.
This caught the attention of other states who requested
Mississippi share its method for improvement. She reiterated
that success is a K-3 policy. It is not just a third-grade
issue. Teachers in K-3 need to work closely together. LETRS
training is so popular that middle and high schools ask for the
training to help their students.
DR. BURK stated that policy is only as good as its
implementation. Once you have a policy, know who will be in
charge to lead the effort and do the work. Accountability
belongs to everyone.
DR. WRIGHT stated that the department's accountability program
is a thousand-point system designed to focus on the growth of
the bottom twenty-five percent. This system makes principals and
teachers look at who is failing. While growth points are given
for all children, additional points are awarded for lifting the
bottom twenty-five percent. When schools identify the faces
behind the data, intervention can occur. Intervention is not one
size fits all. For principals not trained in elementary
education, the department created walk-through documents. These
documents enabled administrators to be accountable when doing
classroom observations.
2:51:11 PM
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND on behalf of Co-Chair Story commented that
Alaska's per-pupil expenditure is not as much an outlier as it
appears. The nearly eighteen thousand dollars per student is
from the latest audited US census in 2017, where Alaska is the
sixth highest in spending per student in the nation. When
adjusted by the federal government's 29.67 percent COLA for
Alaska, Alaska's per-student total expenditures are $12,507.
This adjustment places Alaska twentieth among the fifty states,
well within the mid-range for spending. Money is not the only
element for success, but it does matter.
2:52:19 PM
SENATOR BEGICH stated that the Senate's comprehensive bill
addressed the accountability issues of consistency, shared
responsibility, and early intervention having a focus on
individual reading plans. He opined that Alaska has learned from
the experiences of other states but wonders if the bill will
pass into law. He stated that Dr. Wright reinforced the movement
and process that Chair Holland, Co-Chairs Drummond and Story,
and House members have been trying to accomplish.
CO-CHAIR DRUMMOND expressed appreciation to school
administrators and others who listened to the presentation.
2:54:52 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committees, the House
Education Standing Committee and Senate Education Standing
Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:54 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Improving Early Literacy in Mississippi Presentation.pdf |
HEDC 7/27/2021 1:00:00 PM |
|
| Dr. Burk Alaska Presentation_7.27.21_FINAL.pdf |
HEDC 7/27/2021 1:00:00 PM |