In 2005, CCLD was awarded an Improving Educator Quality (IEQ) grant from the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) to continue providing professional development for middle and high school teachers related to integrating literacy into the content areas. A collaboration among CCLD, the Collaborative for Teaching and Learning, and the Kentucky Writing Project, the purpose of this project was to ensure that adolescent students developed their abilities to use literacy to learn content in ways that will enable them to succeed in school, in postsecondary education, and in the work force. The project equipped content area teachers with techniques to help improve middle and high school students' academic reading proficiency. CCLD contracted with the Collaborative for Teaching in Learning for the provision of the professional development, and CCLD conducted a rigorous evaluation of the project's impact on teacher efficacy and practices and on students' reading achievement and behaviors.

Eighty-eight teachers from six schools and three school districts participated in the project during the 2005-2006 school year. Preliminary evaluation results indicated increases in student reading performance on the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation from fall to spring at both the middle and high school levels.

Graph 1

Highlights

  • Intensive, week-long institutes that included modeling, teacher practice, and extensive group work
  • Regular on-site coaching that included team meetings, individualized planning sessions, and modeled lessons
  • Stipends, professional books, and resources valued at over $600 provided to each participating teacher
  • Rigorous evaluation using student achievement data, student and teacher surveys, classroom observations, and teacher interviews