Project EXCEL (Expertise for Classroom Equity through Literacy)

Project Title and IHE: Project EXCEL (Expertise for Classroom Equity through Literacy) Partners: Fayette County Public Schools, Scott County Public Schools, Shelby County Public Schools, and Woodford County Public Schools. Priorities: Kentucky’s immigrant population is growing faster than all but 6 states (Baumann, 2014). US Census figures indicate that from 2000 to 2010, the Hispanic and Latino population increased by 121.6%, with even higher growth rates in the state’s metro areas (131.2%) (Price, 2011), yet teachers are not prepared to teach ELs in the regular classroom (Education Professional Standards Board [EPSB], 2013; EPSB, 2014). Project PLACE addresses the Absolute Priority through PD for in-service classroom teachers to support learning and achievement for ELs. Competitive Priority #1 is addressed through the PD focused on implementing strategies for English language development that are supported by at least moderate evidence of effectiveness. The first strategy is improving classroom Instruction by integrating oral and written English Language instruction into content area teaching. Specifically, teachers will (a) learn to use instructional tools, such as video, visuals, and graphic organizers, to help students learn content (Brown, Ryoo, & Rodriguez, 2010; Silverman & Hines, 2009) (b) explicitly teach academic vocabulary during content area instruction (Silverman & Hines, 2009), (c) plan writing activities to support content-area academic language instruction (Brown et al., 2010). In years 4-5, the project will be evaluated through a cluster-randomized trial to determine its effectiveness for teachers and students. Competitive Priority #2 is addressed through (a) Family Collaboration and Critical Consciousness in which teachers implement action plans for family literacy that utilize families’ “funds of knowledge” (González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Tellez & Waxman, 2010; Van Roekel, 2008) and (b) Assessment in which teachers learn to use data to improve reading instruction for Els. Project Description: This project will use the Culturally Responsive Instruction Observation Protocol (CRIOP) as a PD framework for classroom teaching and family literacy. This PD framework structures project activities around the targeted Assessment, Instruction, Family Collaboration, and Critical Consciousness strategies and employs intensive yearlong PD including school-based coaching. Graduate coursework will be used to prepare a cadre of teacher leaders to support implementation of effective practices for ELs and to serve as advocates in schools. Project Goals, Numbers Served, and Performance Outcomes: Goal 1: Prepare a cadre (25 per year, 125 total) of classroom teachers in Central Kentucky who use data to improve reading instruction and implement evidence-based classroom practices for culturally and linguistically diverse students in the regular classroom. (GPRA 1, 3) Goal 2: Prepare an Advanced Leadership cadre of 25 teachers (5 per year) with a Graduate Certificate in Effective Teaching for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity who can serve as leaders in their schools to support the learning and achievement of ELs (GPRA 1, 3). Goal 3: Teachers will engage families in evidence-based strategies to promote literacy. (GPRA 1, 3) Contact: Susan C. Cantrell, PD/PI; (859) 257-6731; [email protected]