A year ago, we launched the Oregon Kids Read petition which has not just helped raise awareness, but has forged new relationships and led to concrete action for kids.
As Oregon Kids Read continues to advocate for crucial reading instruction training for K-3 teachers statewide, Portland Public Schools (PPS) isn't waiting on the Oregon legislature to act. PPS has welcomed conversation and partnership with Oregon Kids Read, Decoding Dyslexia Oregon and other literacy advocates, which we deeply appreciate.
Like us, PPS is absolutely unwilling to accept that half of Oregon’s 3rd graders aren't reading at grade level and that for our Black, Indigenous and other 3rd graders of color, that number rises to over 70% across the state.
Portland Public Schools has committed to reversing that trajectory for its students. Thanks to the leadership of Senior Director of Humanities Dr. Tania McKey, Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero and the PPS School Board, the district started training teachers and staff this past summer in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS). As you can see in the attached video, PPS' goal is to train all of its K-5 teachers by Spring 2023. This means that PPS educators will receive the in-depth professional development they deserve and that struggling students will receive the expert instruction they need - no matter which elementary school they attend in the city.
How can you continue to support struggling readers?
Please share the Oregon Kids Read petitiontoday with friends and family and encourage them to sign it. All K-3 educators around the state should have access to LETRS training and all struggling readers should have access to expert instruction.
Another way you can help is by donating to the Fund for PPS effort to connect our most struggling readers to expert one-on-one virtual tutoring. Gifts of any size will be met dollar for dollar for a matching donation of up to $15,000! Giving isn't limited to individual donors - please encourage your PTA’s and other local groups to give too. Irvington School’s PTA in Portland helped launch the tutoring effort with their dollars and we’re grateful to them.
In many ways, distance learning has worsened the academic challenges already faced by our Black, Indigenous and other students of color before COVID. Your signing the Oregon Kids Read petition has enabled us to help PPS harness the unexpected positives of this tech-dependent moment: training scores of educators online and offering one-on-one virtual tutoring to our kids who need it the most.
We’re very grateful to all the PPS educators going through LETRS training to help our kids become strong readers. Most of all, we want to thank every Oregon student working on their reading. Reading is difficult for many of us - including adults - and your dedication makes us very proud.
Angela