Building Educator Capacity

Foundational Literacy Coaching Grant

• Support evidence-based literacy instruction in grades PreK-3rd.
• Support teachers in implementing evidence-based core curriculum.
• Professional development focused on the foundations of early literacy instruction and assessment data.

More than 30 literacy coaches statewide serving in PK-3 communities of high need in 2025. By 2028, targeted scaling of literacy coaches to 125 in K-5 schools in bottom 10%.

Building Educator Capacity

K-5 Literacy Endorsement

Support certificated K-5 educators in attaining a K-5 Literacy Endorsement through approved trainings and ADE OnDemand Academies. (Legislation A.R.S. §15-501.1)

All K-5 certificated teachers of literacy are trained in the Science of Reading and have a K-5 Literacy Endorsement by 2028 as measured by teacher certification data.

Building Educator Capacity

Science of Reading Professional Development (ADE)

• Systematic Reading Fundamentals
• Secondary Reading Fundamentals
• Dyslexia Reading Fundamentals
• Early Childhood Science of Reading Trainings
• Arizona Literacy Road Show

Increase the number of educators who have been trained in the Science of Reading.

Building Educator Capacity

Policy Supports for Early Literacy

• Early Literacy is key pillar of the Board’s Strategic Plan
• Adoption of the K-3 Early Literacy Subcommittee recommendations.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #1:

Provide state-level professional development, resources, and guidance for K-3 schools and teachers detailing the effective selection and use of diagnostic assessments as part of the MOWR balanced-assessment system.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #2:

Provide state-level professional development, resources, and guidance illustrating how schools can effectively employ their Dyslexia Designees to positively impact teacher development and student learning.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #3:

Provide state-level professional development, resources, and guidance for K-3 teachers, coaches, and administrators illustrating best practices in building comprehension skills.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #6:

Provide state-level professional development, resources, and guidance for K-3 schools and districts illustrating best practices in aligning their MOWR, ELL and School Improvement plans.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #8:

Make public for schools its rubric and process for evaluating evidence-based K-3 reading curricula for both core reading and intervention programs.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #9:

Develop and provide training, guidance, and resources related to ways that LEAs can efficiently meet the instructional reading requirements of both the Language Development Approach for English language learners and the requirements for MOWR.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #10:

Examine and refine the alignment between the expectations on the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) exam and the English Language Arts (ELA)/English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards.

Building Educator Capacity

K-3 Literacy Subcommittee Recommendation #15:

Investigate the use of schools’ K-3 MOWR literacy data as part of the A-F Accountability System.