Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) and the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education announced on Monday, Dec. 14, the formation of a joint Early Literacy and Beyond Task Force that will focus on analyzing the most promising approaches to teaching reading and making recommendations to MMSD and to teacher education programs at UW-Madison toward the goals of improving reading outcomes and reducing opportunity gaps.
The task force’s work will be focused on utilizing literacy — at every level — as an equity strategy to ensure all MMSD students receive high-quality, grade level accelerated instruction.
“We are being very intentional about our commitment to early literacy and beyond, and it will be the priority of the district moving forward,” said MMSD Superintendent Carlton D. Jenkins. “An explicit strategy around early literacy and beyond is an investment – an investment in our children, our families and our community. We know this investment must be sustained over time, and it will also require making an investment in our staff around the teaching of reading.”
The task force is charged with:
- Identifying how literacy, especially early literacy, is currently taught across MMSD and analyzing achievement data for MMSD students with respect to literacy.
- Examining how literacy, especially early literacy, is being taught to teacher education students at UW–Madison’s School of Education and analyzing what these future teachers are currently learning about literacy.
- Reviewing and becoming familiar with the best evidence about the most effective ways to teach literacy in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade — and developing future teachers who can better teach literacy in schools.
- Making recommendations to MMSD and the UW–Madison School of Education about steps to be taken that can strengthen literacy instruction in the Madison Schools and UW-Madison’s teacher education programs.
“We are very pleased to collaborate with MMSD by creating this joint task force that focuses explicitly on what we can do together to improve the reading outcomes of all students,” said School of Education Dean Diana Hess. “The members of the task force are experts in literacy and equity, and I am grateful for their enthusiasm and willingness to commit their time and expertise toward these important goals.”
The task force will consult with many leading scholars and researchers, including Gloria Ladson-Billings, a professor emerita with the UW–Madison School of Education and president of the National Academy of Education.
The Early Literacy and Beyond Task Force will be charged by Jenkins and Hess, and composed of an equal number of educators from MMSD and UW–Madison. The task force will be jointly co-chaired by MMSD Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning Lisa Kvistad and UW–Madison Professor John Diamond. Members include:
Madison Metropolitan School District
Lisa Kvistad (Task Force co-chair), assistant superintendent for teaching and learning
Ana Gabriela Bell Jiménez, interim director of curriculum & instruction
Jorge Covarrubias, executive director of professional learning and leadership development
Lisa Hepburn, bilingual resource teacher at Sandburg and Randall Elementary Schools
Angie Hicks, principal of James C. Wright Middle School
Jaclyn Smith, principal of Gompers Elementary School
Chan Stroman, attorney in private law firm practice, as well as a volunteer reading tutor and former MMSD parent
University of Wisconsin-Madison
John B. Diamond (Task Force co-chair), Kellner Family Distinguished Chair in Urban Education, Professor with the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
Mariana Castro, deputy director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research
Dawnene D. Hassett, professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Melinda Leko, professor and chair, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education
Mark S. Seidenberg, Vilas Research Professor and the Donald O. Hebb Professor, Department of Psychology
Beverly Trezek, associate professor and the Tashia F. Morgridge Chair in Reading, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education
Ashley L. White, assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education