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“Communitywide Literacy Planning”

Helene H. KramerGood Schools for All / Buffalo Reads

Literacy Powerline RetreatLas Vegas, Nevada

May 19, 2007

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Good Schools for All

• Program of Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo

• Role – independent, neutral convener• Mission – improve student achievement

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Why “community” literacy?

• #1 priority – last 3 Superintendents• Buffalo Public School students

– 62% of 4th graders not proficient – 79% of 8th graders not proficient – 38% don’t graduate from high school

• Statistics: Preschool children / Adults– 50% children entering pre-K “not ready”– 30% of adults at literacy level 1 (65,000)– 30% of adults at literacy level 2 (65,000)

• Cycle of intergenerational illiteracy

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Community Literacy PlanningGetting Started

• Convened local literacy providers– Branded “Buffalo Reads” – Collaborative model

• Conducted feasibility study– Evaluated community will to change– Reviewed current system– Looked at national picture– Collected data – environmental scan

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Findings – Current System• Fragmented • Spotty quality standards• Spotty training for staff, volunteers• Different ways to measure outcomes• Small % of all learners served• Services available not matched with need• Competing for sparser dollars• Lack of data• Outcomes not changing

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Beliefs/Guiding Principles

• Every child has everything they need to learn to read

• Every parent wants their child[ren] to do better than they’re doing

• Poverty / other risk factors are not sufficient reasons for not being a good reader

• Buffalo’s children belong to the community• The plan would support the school learning

environment, not supplant it• 100% literacy is possible!

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What We Set Out To Do• Create literacy plan for City of Buffalo -

developed by community• Committed to implementation• Set goal of 100% literacy (who would we leave

out?)• Transform the system

– learner-centered, learner-driven– comprehensive, collaborative and integrated– framework for quality

• Put out “call to action” to community• Conducted an environmental scan

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Citywide Literacy Campaign – Planning Framework(1) Campaign Champions Group

Steering Group

Planning Task Forces

- Birth – School Age- Pre-K to grade 4- Grades 5 – 8- Grades 9 – 12- College/Univ. students- Parents/Families-Adults -Out of School Youth

Horizontal / Across Ages-Tracking, Eval., - Workplace Lit. Quality Stds, - Financial Lit. Data System - Health Lit.- Development - Computer Lit. - Marketing/PR/Adv - Training & TA-Info & Referral (hotline/web site)

Members drawn fromSteering Group, Forumvolunteers and specialists

CitywideLiteracy Plan

Launch

Implem

entation

Community Literacy Forum (community stakeholders)

Input 1

Input 2

Input 3

NeedsAssessment

FundingAnalysisInventory ofPrograms &Services

Outs

ourc

ed u

nder

gui

danc

e

o

f Ste

erin

g Gr

oup Outcom

esYearly Report to Public

Focus Groups

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6) (7)

(8)

Vertical / Age

Good Schools for All and the Buffalo Reads Literacy Collaborative

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THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN

FOR LITERACY

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GoalsAge Appropriate Literacy

• Every child is fully prepared for success when starting school (pre-school)

• Each child is fully prepared to achieve grade-level literacy standards (preK-12)

• Parents and families have information and skills they need to help their children succeed

• Graduating high school students are fully prepared for college-level work

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GoalsAge Appropriate Literacy

• College students will graduate and be prepared for graduate school or a job

• Out-of-school youth will engage in learning programs leading to further education and employment

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GoalsAdult Literacy

• Improve literacy for job seekers and incumbent workers (workplace literacy)

• Improve patients’ ability to read, understand and act on health care info (health literacy)

• Help low and moderate income people become financially self-sufficient (financial literacy)

• Ensure every person has access to and is trained to use a computer (computer literacy)

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GoalsProviders

• Implement framework for quality– Quality standards– Common assessment & outcomes measures– Logic model – Central data system

• Ensure each provider has well-qualified and well-trained staff and volunteers

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Good Schools for All and Buffalo Reads “Read to Succeed” Citywide Literacy Campaign – Planning and Goals

September 20, 2006

Goals1. Every child is fully prepared for success when starting school (pre-school). 2. Every child is fully prepared to achieve grade-level literacy standards (preK-12).3. Parents and families have the information and skills they need to help their children succeed in school.4. Graduating high-school students have the literacy skills they need for college-level work.5. Graduating college students will have the literacy skills required for graduate school or employment6. Out-of-school youth engage in learning programs leading to further education and employment.7. Job seekers and incumbent workers improve their literacy skills (workforce literacy).8. Patients can read, understand and act on health care informa- tion (health literacy).9. Low and moderate-income people become less dependent on government subsidies and more financially self-sufficient (financial literacy).10. Every person has access to and is trained to use a computer (computer literacy).11. Each literacy provider has well-qualified and well-trained staff and volunteers.12. Literacy providers implement a framework for quality by: - implementing quality standards based on best practice; - using common assessment and outcome measures across program types; - adhering to a logic model to guide operations and grant applications; - entering learner data into a central data system.13. Funding, both existing and from new sources, is aligned with the strategic plan.

Community-Wide Planning Process

17 Task Forces

By Population

Birth – School AgePreK – Grade 4Grades 5 – 8 (Middle Grades)Grades 9 – 12 (High School)Out-of-School YouthCollege/University StudentsParents and FamiliesAdults

By Functional Area

Computer LiteracyFinancial LiteracyHealth LiteracyWorkplace Literacy

By Support Process

Data System, Evaluation, Tracking, Quality StandardsDevelopmentInformation and ReferralMarketing (including PR , Advertising)Training and Technical Assistance

Note: The implementationstrategies will be kept ‘live’ and subject to continuousimprovement in the light of“action learning” and changingcircumstances. The overallgoal of 100% literacy, however,is a permanent ‘beacon’ thatguides the campaign.

Overall goal is100% literacy forevery child and adult

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Year 1 (2007) 1. Build the infrastructure: 1.1 Secure funding for, and recruit Implementation Team; 1.2 Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan; 1.3 Acquire “learner tracking system” and pilot with 10 agencies; 1.4 Implement a call center (211) for learners and volunteers; 1.5 Design and launch a website for learners, volunteers and agencies; 1.6 Begin use of the logic model for all grant proposals.2. Begin program implementation (within the framework for quality): 2.1 BPS & Buffalo Reads will work in a “literacy zone” to a. Develop and align curriculum for childcare centers in the literacy zone and track student progress through 3rd grade; b. Help parents of pre-school children support their children’s learning; c. Create “safety net” by engaging healthcare providers to identify children’s learning barriers & recommend appropriate interventions. 2.2 Help each Middle Grade and High School child achieve grade level standards in literacy by: a. Aligning after-school, out-of school, arts, cultural and other community-based programs with NYS Learning Standards; b. Providing structured career development support; c. Making reading fun and relevant / creating a book-rich environment. 2.3 Ensure adults have the literacy skills to function in all areas of life by: a. Convening all adult literacy providers to help implement the strategies in the citywide literacy plan; b. Increasing services in high-risk neighborhoods in convenient loca- tions and with varied modes of instruction; c Holding a one-day summit to develop retention strategies; d. Raising funds to increase the capacity of all adult providers. 2.4 Expand capacity to provide workplace literacy by increasing number of agencies working in this area collaboratively. Focus areas include: a. Incumbent workers in entry-level jobs at major health facilities; b. Immigrants and refugees to improve English-language skills & job opportunities; c. Out-of-school youth for learning programs leading to further education and employment. 2.5 Develop framework to implement health care strategies for providers and patients: a. Secure funding to develop framework and implement programs; b. Hold “small summit” for senior decision makers in healthcare organizations to raise awareness and secure commitment; c. Hold “larger summit” for healthcare professionals to create awareness and provide intervention strategies. 2.6 Increase financial self-sufficiency & reduce dependence on government subsidies by: a. Identifying financial literacy programs and standards in use; b. Selecting standards for financial literacy & identifying target populations. 2.7 Design and implement a summer literacy program for children to help them retain skills.

Good Schools for All and Buffalo Reads “Read to Succeed” Citywide Literacy Campaign – Implementation Strategies

Year 2 (2008) 1. Increase parent involvement. 1.1 Develop and implement a parent education campaign (building on Year 1 2.1b), utilizing community gateways. 1.2 Develop and implement a parent mentoring program. 1.3 Improve communications between schools and parents. Respective needs to be identified via a survey. 1.4 Support schools in becoming welcoming places. Launch a pilot based on best practices.2. Strengthen community support for schools and education. 2.1 Create an exemplary spirit of community support and ownership for schools. 2.2 Establish education as a community value, supported by all. 2.3 Partner every school with a community, business, civic or faith organization. 2.4 Equip parents to create a home where education is valued.3. Improve computer literacy. 3.1 In conjunction with the Superin- tendent, pilot wireless access on the roofs of the five focus schools (see Year 1 2.1) to provide internet access to the schools and the surrounding neighborhoods. 3.2 Establish computer labs in the communities around the schools and provide training. 3.3 Ensure every household in the five school area can obtain a computer at low or no cost on the condition that training is undertaken.

Year 3 (2009)1. Increase engagement of colleges and universities. 1.1 Establish a research center that identifies quality standards and best practices. 1.2 Create developmental template for middle and high school students so they under- stand requirements for college- level work. 1.3 Create career development centers in every school. 1.4 Create service-learning opportunities for all college students to serve as literacy volunteers. 1.5 Help improve relationships in the classroom between students, teachers and parents, focusing on cultural diversity and parent involve- ment.

Strategy implementation and outcomes carry forward to subsequent years

c/f

C/f

Outcomes

leading to….

ImprovedLiteracy

CentralData System

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Campaign Name, Logo and Tag Line

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Implementationstarted Jan 2007

• Building org capacity to implement plan• Developing marketing communications plan• Identified a “literacy zone”• Tackling “school readiness” - program

– ERF grant - Head Start programs– Local foundation - Home-based child care providers

• Writing grant for central data system “accountability system”

• Planning formal launch in Sept 2007– Workplace Literacy & Economic Dev Summit

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Measuring Effectiveness

• Central data system (“accountability system”)– Learner tracking – progress & longitudinal

history– Business intelligence– ROI for learners, funders, community– Drive continuous program quality

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Success Factors

• Active support from community leaders• Funders align grantmaking with plan• Literacy infused everywhere• Maintain high levels of communication and

collaboration with all partners• Ubiquitous marketing and outreach –

general and targeted messaging

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Lessons Learned• Include all stakeholder groups • Provide clear direction to task forces

– Create charge statements– Train task force leaders

• Expect ups and downs • Definition of progress• Keep partners engaged – frequent

communication• Embrace active learning

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Successes to Date• 40 agencies working together on plan’s goals• Local foundations funded planning phase and

implementation start-up• Developed strong relationships with Superin-

tendent, Mayor & other community leaders• Organized health literacy collaborative – ready to

start pilot• Working with Chancellor of NYS Board of Regents

and Buffalo’s early childhood leaders to develop strategy for needs of infants to 5 year olds

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Networks / Network Weaving

LiteracyCoalition

Non-ViolenceCoalition

HealthyCommunity

Schools

Child CareCoalition

WNYRAC BusinessAssns

City Govt

Race & Reconciliation

Network ofReligious

Communities

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Questions