Op-Ed: DC’s new literacy plan - a great framework, ready for action

In 2019, only 30% of fourth grade students in DC preformed at or above the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam in reading, ranking us 47th nationally. The does not even account for subsequent COVID-19 learning losses. The goal? “At least 75% proficiency” by 2018, according to the the 2013 literacy plan prepared by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Clearly, we have work to do.

OSSE recently developed a new five-year literacy plan attached to a $16 million federal grant to improve literacy for students. The new 126-page “Comprehensive Literacy Plan” (CLP) was clearly written by content experts and provides a strong framework for successful literacy instructions in the District. It is packed with academic references and highlights evidence-based interventions proven to advance literacy outcomes.

While it offers a compelling vision and suggests useful tools, the CLP does not prescribe detailed actions or programs- an unfortunate omission.

Unlike the literacy plans of Arizona, Kentucky and Maryland, DC’s CLP does not outline inputs or outcomes on a timeline. Unlike Alaska’s or Idaho’s, DC’s plan does not specify which actors are responsible to execute particular elements of the plan. Unlike Louisiana’s or Texas’, DC’s plan does not provide rubrics with which to “measure fidelity of execution.”

In states that have seen significant growth in literacy outcomes, officials have committed specific investments to support educators to execute their literacy plans. For example, Tennessee is offering educators a $1,000 stipend for completing two weeks of early literacy training. Massachusetts is committing funding for literacy coaches.

DC educators must now build from the CLP’s broader vision to develop more specific steps. The District government must step up to assist them in doing so. DC should equip local educators with resources to successfully execute our literacy plan. DC educators deserve access to high-quality materials, implementation support, and coaching, The CLP acknowledges the importance of these resources, but does not outline the specific programs available for educators or how to use them.

DC’s literacy plan calls for a print-rich environment, for example, but it does not specify how. Right now, many teachers in DC rely on fundraising platforms such as DonorsChoose to purchase literacy supplies. DC’s reading instructors are frequently spending over a $100 a month printing worksheets for their students when school printers break. During the pandemic, teachers have been spending money out-of-pocket on subscriptions to apps such as Nearpod, Padlet or Teachers Pay Teachers.

The DC literacy plan also presents assessments as a key component of effective instruction, but many teachers do not receive adequate guidance around how to administer these tests. Some tests evaluate phonemic awareness, while other tests evaluate reading comprehension. The format and content of these tests vary greatly. Many inexperienced teachers are currently learning about different assessments through informal observation rather than through formal training.

Understandably, DC’s CLP does not intend to provide a “one-size-fits-all” approach. This provides local education agencies (LEAs) with more flexibility to customize programming to meet their community’s needs. However, this leaves several major questions unanswered: Who is responsible for executing DC’s literacy plan? How will it be executed and under what timeline? How will we know if we’re on track to successful execution of the five-year plan?

Too often, strategic plans do not meet their intended outcomes. We cannot allow that to occur here. This plan contains too much valuable information to lay idle. Literacy educators across the city should come together and rally behind OSSE’s new literacy plan to make it more actionable. Collaborating behind this strong framework provides us with the best chance to ensure DC students recover from pandemic-related learning losses and more of them read proficiently within the next five eyars.

Read our op-ed via The DC Line

Allister Chang, the Ward 2 member on the DC State Board of Education, previously conducted research on literacy plans as a visiting researcher at UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning. Devon Winsor, who taught elementary school for four years at public schools in DC and served as the Washington Teachers’ Union building representative for her school from 2020-2021, is entering Stanford University this fall as a master’s candidate in education policy and organizational leadership.