A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Minnesota

Team Report

Minnesota has responded to the research findings in many ways. Among them are:

• Reading Challenge grants (totaling $500,000) to 11 districts to fund teacher training and curriculum enhancements.
• Minnesota?s Graduation Standards contain Preparatory High Standards. Teachers received training in learning Area One (Learn, View, Listen) and Area Two (Speak and Write) in summer of ?98.
• The Best Practice Network recognizes quality reading teachers around the state and provides opportunities for them to act as models to other teachers.
• The University of Minnesota and other institutions of higher education partner with schools to assist teachers in implementing strategies in kindergarten and primary classrooms that respond to research findings.
• First Grade Preparedness is a pilot program providing $6.5 million in funding to the state?s 70 highest poverty schools for all-day every-day kindergarten and four-year old preschool programming.
• State assessments in reading at third grade.

A Minnesota Success Story

The Richard Green Institute for Teaching and Learning at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota has as its mission to attract, support development, training and retention of a cadre of teachers, particularly teachers of color, prepared to teach in urban schools. It also seeks to advance knowledge and exemplary practices about teaching and learning through research and practice. One of the Institute?s first projects was to name Richard Green Scholars three education faculty members who taught regularly in Minneapolis elementary schools. One person had an assigned reading group in a combined first/second grade classroom. Another planned and taught units and modeled strategies with preservice teachers in the classroom. All of the students in our elementary block learned about reading methods in the college classroom, then went to a first-grade classroom with the professor and used the strategy with children. Reciprocal benefits for the school district and the teacher education program at Augsburg were many: increased reading scores in first grade, modeling of best practices in reading education, collaboration between higher education and Pre K-12 schools, a real context for teaching for college faculty, more adult assistance, continuous learning for all people who were involved.

For further information, contact:

Dr. Betty Webb
Director, Richard Green Institute for Teaching and Learning
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(612) 330-1654
E-mail: bjwebb@mple.k13.mn.us

State Commitment Form

State: Minnesota
Team Leader: Bonnie Griffiths
Phone Number: 651-297-8056

As a result of attending this Summit, what two things does your state team commit to doing in the next six months toward enhanced literacy for children and their families?

As a result of attending this Summit, what two things does your state team commit to doing in the next six months toward enhanced literacy for children and their families?

1. Bring together systems for young children already existing in Minnesota: Communities of Color, Special Education, Even Start, Early Childhood Family Education, First Grade Preparedness, MN Kindergarten Association - and deliver the messages of this summit.
2. Examine licensure for requirements for:
   1. Mainstream teachers to have some ESL training.
   2. ESL teachers have K-3 special training, since ESL is now a K-12 license.

1. Fund professional development without the tie to specific program and/or designate a larger portion of Eisenhower funds for reading.
2. Give SEA's blanket authority to waive restrictions of Title II to allow these funds to be used for reading pre and in-service.

[Michigan]

[Mississippi]